Harry Potter and the Elemental Changes
by Peeves' best friend
Summary: Who is Harry Potter? A son, a brother, a good guy? No. A nephew, a friend, a hero ? Somewhat. Destined for greatness? Yes. A prick? Oh, absolutely. (Updated less often than once per month. Read at own risk. Author already aware of the problems of first year(s). Questions in disclaimers and ANs of chapters 1-40 do not need to be answered anymore.)
1. PreHogwarts

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER, HARRY POTTER BELONGS TO J.K. ROWLING! **

**Hi, this is my first story, so it will not be of epic quality. I wrote this for everybody to enjoy, and any and all criticism is welcome. English is not my maternal language, nor is it my second one. That's French. This story was heavily inspired by many stories, so check my favorites list and you'll find most of them. I will not place specific shout outs; if you wrote a story and you think I'm stealing part of your plot, let me know and we'll see about changing it. Please enjoy. This chapter has been beta'ed!**

It's been six years...Six years since Max Potter survived the Killing Curse and destroyed the Dark Lord, Voldemort...

Six years since the Potter household sent one of its members away...Away to _t__hat_ place.

Six years since Harry Potter was left on the Dursley's doorstep...And they have been terrible years for the young Potter; being raised by the Dursley's is not something one should be content with. Yet for the young Harry Potter, these past six years were even worse than it would be for an average boy. The Dursleys started abusing Harry the moment they realized they weren't being watched, which was very soon indeed.

Now, however, Harry wouldn't be taking it any longer, for the youngest Potter had discovered something: he had _special_ powers!

It all started when Harry was being chased by Dudley's gang when all of a sudden, everything started freezing around him and the gang had not been able to follow him over the frosty floor. Even stranger, this was not the first time something weird had happened around him. Once, Harry had somehow ended up on the school roof after diving behind some garbage bins whilst trying to escape Dudley and his gang. Another time, he had set a teacher's hairpiece on fire, and then there was that instance where he had completely healed overnight after being beaten to a pulp by his uncle.

But this time... Harry had felt the power inside of him, and he knew he could do it again! That was what led to him sitting in his cupboard and using his power to lift objects into the air and have them float. It was also the reason he was now trying (and succeeding) to make ice shards as he was freezing the floor. His uncle would be in for a surprise when he came in to punish Harry for Dudley's injuries from falling on the ice and hitting his head on a garbage bin.

It was 9 p.m. when Uncle Vernon entered the cupboard with his belt in hand and when he started yelling about teaching the freak his place. Before he could make his swing though, Harry turned his gaze upwards to his Uncle, and Vernon froze. The boy's eyes, normally a clear emerald green, were now ice cold.

Somehow Vernon knew right then and there that he was in trouble. One moment he saw the boy raise his hands and the next thing he knew, he felt blood rushing to his head and everything suddenly became upside down. Vernon was still processing this in his alcohol-addled mind when the boy stood up, placing his hands on either side of Vernon's head.

"This is going to hurt a bit, Uncle," Harry's icy voice broke through Vernon's shocked state of mind. "Let me explain to you what I am going to do, dearest Uncle ..."

Harry had thought long and hard about what he was going to do and knew that if he could impress his Uncle Vernon enough right now, his life would be infinitely easier in the long run.

"I am going to put an ice crystal in your brain so that every time I feel threatened by either you, your wife or that fat piece of lard you call a son, the ice crystal will grow. And I think you understand what happens if you have a large shard of ice in your brain, do you not, Uncle?" Harry queried, his threat hanging thickly in the air as his cold eyes bored into the eyes of his Uncle.

Vernon, who was drunk and was not thinking very clearly, realized the boy had just managed to break that haze in a very threatening manner. "Yes Bo... Harry." He managed to say.

"Very well then Uncle. I trust that you will inform Aunt Petunia and Dudley about our new arrangement?"

"Yes Harry," Vernon muttered.

~~~~~Scene Break~~~~~

Four years later, a lot had changed in the Dursley household; Harry was treated equally to Dudley, and Vernon and Petunia had stopped their abusive behavior. In the beginning, this had been solely due to the threat Harry had placed, and the terrible spasms which Vernon had suffered from when they mistreated Harry. But over time, they had truly become better people.

Petunia had explained everything she knew about magic to Harry; she had told Harry about his parents and his twin brother, and how the letter that had been with Harry on the doorstep ten years ago claimed that they didn't want him because he was weak and not deserving of his family. His Aunt had also told him all she knew of Hogwarts, as well as a few other wizarding things she had picked up. Harry had been rather upset when Petunia told him about his parents, but had reasoned that if they acted like that, they were not deserving of him and he should be relieved to be rid of them.

Currently, it was the 29th of July, and Harry and his relatives were having breakfast. Harry was looking out of the kitchen window, waiting for the letter he was expecting; he was hopeful he would be accepted to Hogwarts.

When the post was delivered, Harry stood up to get it. Sorting through the post, he saw it: a large, beige envelope with his name on it. Harry rapidly brought everything to the table, and then he ripped open the envelope.

(It's the same as every other first year letter, I won't be putting it up as I don't have the books for reference right now.)

"Aunt Petunia?" Harry asked, slightly nervous.

"Yes Harry? Is something wrong? Are you not allowed to go?" Petunia responded, slightly startled by her nephew's sudden nervousness.

"How am I going to owl a response to them? We don't have an owl to do that." Harry was still slightly nervous, and his Aunt's suddenly puzzled look didn't help soothe that.

"I don't really know. I guess it would be best if we just head into London and you try and track that strong magical pull you felt the last time we were in London." Aunt Petunia suggested.

~~~~~Scene Break~~~~~

In the end it had been decided they would wait until August the 15th, and if no better opportunity had been presented to the Dursleys plus one Potter, they would do as Petunia had suggested and head in to London. Fortunately for Harry, it never came that far, for on the 7th of that month, a week after Harry's birthday, (his gift had simply been some saving money, seeing as his education would likely be very expensive, and Dudley's school was pricey as well) Uncle Vernon opened the door to see a rather small man in a turquoise robe.

"Hello, how might I help you?" Vernon introduced himself politely, having a pretty good idea why the rather short man had come to visit.

"Hello, my name is Filius Flitwick. Would it be correct to assume this is the residence of Harry Potter?" Vernon nodded. "Might I be allowed to speak to him for a moment?" Flitwick inquired, seeming slightly nervous for some reason.

Vernon let the man in and asked him to take a seat while he went to go fetch Harry. At the moment, Harry was in the backyard, digging a hole that was large enough for a pool. Vernon was originally going to hire a construction company to do the pool, but it was negotiated between Vernon and Harry that Harry would be allowed to dig the hole for the pool and be paid half the price of a professional installation company for his work. It was a deal which left everybody satisfied.

Harry was sent in to the living room while Uncle Vernon retreated to the kitchen. He had since become better when it came to magic, but that did not make him even a little bit more comfortable around unknown wizards and witches.

Harry introduced himself politely to Flitwick, who seemed surprised to see the boy in such a sweaty and disheveled state.

"Excuse me, Mr. Potter, before we continue with more important matters, why are you so sweaty and filthy?" Flitwick asked, curious as to what might've caused Harry to become so dirty.

Harry replied easily to the expected question. "I was working in the yard, sir; I'm digging a hole in the ground for a pool. If I do that, I'll get half of the money saved on the construction company and I won't have to settle for secondhand materials for school."

"I see," Flitwick mumbled, but he swiftly continued, "Well then Mr. Potter, as you know by now, my name is Filius Flitwick. What you don't know is that I am a professor at Hogwarts. I have come here today to ask why you did not respond to your acceptance letter. Would you explain that?"

"Of course, sir," Harry replied. "The letter mentioned "owling" back my response. That is somewhat impossible, seeing as I do not have an owl, nor was an owl provided with which to respond. Now that you are here though, I would like to formally accept the invitation to Hogwarts and hope that you will not blame me for the delay."

"Ah, that was indeed a mistake on our part. You see, you are a halfblood, therefore it was automatically assumed that you would be able to owl us your response back. We did not take into account that you were being raised by muggles. Now then, do you have any questions? Have you already obtained your supplies? Or do you need help in getting them?" Flitwick seemed to be rather pleased to know that Harry would indeed be coming, and there had simply been a small mistake in the administration.

"I have yet to buy my supplies yet, sir, and any help offered would be very welcome. And then I actually do have another question: do you have an estimate as to how many pounds would be required to pay for all the materials needed for Hogwarts?" Harry was excited, and it showed for he rattled all of that off rather quickly.

"You would need about 400 pounds for the required items, and tuition is another 5000 pounds per year, Mr. Potter. Tuition must be paid by November the 1st, however, so there's no need to hurry that. And if you are free today then I can take you along to go shopping right now. If not, some other time will be arranged." Flitwick, becoming as excited as Harry, also started talking rather fast.

However, he was testing to see if Harry could keep up with information absorption at a higher speed in an attempt to find out something about Harry's intellect.

After hastily agreeing that he was free for the day, Harry immediately procured an almost completely filled in check from the mantle top, and wrote 5000 into the last blank space. He then handed the check to Professor Flitwick and excused himself for a few minutes to make sure he was presentable for a public appearance.

A few minutes later, Harry and Professor Flitwick boarded the Knight Bus and Harry was rapidly firing off questions about the wizarding world, slipping in a few about his parents and brother to find out what Professor Flitwick thought about them. Harry was also informed about the houses at Hogwarts and their heads; Harry had already found at least one magical person who didn't like his family very much.

Professor Flitwick wasn't intent on having Harry be the only one to have some questions answered though, and he started questioning Harry about his home life. Harry thought he did rather well in avoiding the first seven years of his life and the use of non-accidental magic in his answers. But he soon had the idea that Flitwick wasn't quite finished with him.

Harry and Flitwick easily entered Diagon Alley through the Leaky Cauldron and went to Gringotts, the wizarding bank, first. Apparently, he used to have a trust vault at one point in his life, but it had been closed long ago. So Harry would be dependent on the money his family was willing to pay, and the money he had earned doing all kinds of odd jobs throughout Surrey.

Their first stop was Flourish and Blotts, and when they left they had to return back to Gringotts to exchange more of his money because Harry hadn't been able to resist the temptation of so many books, and had ended up buying a boatload of books. Flitwick had only protested halfheartedly; being a Ravenclaw, he understood perfectly how Harry felt when it came to purchasing books.

After visiting all the other stores in Diagon Alley, there was only one left that they had yet to go to: Ollivander's. Flitwick thought it to be best if it was left for last, knowing how long it could take to find the right wand.

Harry entered the shop and was rather freaked out by Ollivander. After introductions were made, they immediately started the search for a wand. (Max already has the phoenix wand, does/doesn't make him the BWL.)

After an hour of searching, Harry felt like he had tried every wand in existence. Ollivander, becoming more excited by the prospect of a tricky customer, just waved hiswand causing all the shelves with tried wands to be replaced with untried wands. Harry refused to feel desperate though. He would simply keep trying.

Until finally a wand -Ollivander had stopped describing the materials of the wand after a half-hour- reacted with Harry. A cone of snow came whirling out of his wand, and covered the entire shop. Harry just sighed in relief and was about to pocket it when Ollivander did a double take.

"Excuse me, Mr. Potter, might I see that wand for a few seconds?" Ollivander questioned quietly, piquing Harry's curiosity slightly.

"Here you go, sir." Harry replied, handing over the wand.

"Hmm, 12 and a quarter inch, unyielding. Frozen birch reinforced with pine and a core of crushed Ice Dragon fang; a very powerful wand indeed. It has no specific weaknesses although it does have two strengths: Transfiguration and Charms. Remember Mr. Potter, the wand chooses the wizard. That will be 9 Galleons please." Ollivander replied, placing the wand back into its box.

Harry handed over the money and examined his wand carefully for the first time. It was beautiful. His wand was rather long, and was completely white with gleaming silver effects throughout it. After careful examination, it turned out that the gleaming silver effects looked like runes shimmering through it, though Harry had yet to learn about runes. Flitwick, though, had noticed immediately and caused a pensive expression to fall upon his face.

The wand was completely straight and when Harry made a whip like move, the wand remained as straight as if it hadn't been whipped at all.

"Thank you Mr. Ollivander," Flitwick thanked the wand maker before leading Harry out of the shop. "Well Mr. Potter, I do believe it is time for me to bring you home; you have all your supplies and are ready to go for when school begins. Before we leave though, would you like to stop by the Emporium to look for a familiar?"Professor Flitwick queried, looking up at Harry.

"I'd like to see if I can find an animal that matches me, sir." Harry replied.

Twenty minutes later, Harry and Professor Flitwick were back at Number Four Privet Drive, Harry now the proud owner of a beautiful snowy owl he had yet to name.

"Thank you for your help Professor, see you at Hogwarts." Harry politely bade his future Professor goodbye and headed inside.

"Yes Mr. Potter, it has been a delight meeting with you." Professor Flitwick responded kindly before apparating away.

Appearing at the gates of Hogwarts, Flitwick silently pondered: _'I really hope the boy will be one of mine. He has a very sharp mind and seems to be rather powerful to boot I should see if I can make a bet with Severus about the boy's future placement. The stories Lily and James have been spreading about him are clearly untrue; exactly as I thought.'_

**There you go, that's chapter one. Please do review, and give me your opinion on pairings, friends, who to bash and who not to bash.****Check my profile for polls if you want to vote. **

**THIS WILL NOT BE A SLASH STORY! I have nothing against people who like it, but Slash really gives me the creeps so I won't write it, exactly as I don't read it, and here I add some extra comments after having been harassed about that statement far too often already. Dear person who is offended when I claim that I am creeped out by Slash, I am sorry, but I have a vivid imagination and when I see or read slash, that usually leads to me imagining myself in that situation which I really do not like, hence why I avoid slash. I'm sick and tired of everybody claiming I'm a homophobe, despite the fact that I clearly state that I have nothing against you people. It's a choice (oh wait, that's offensive as well, sorry you are born that way, which is sometimes offensive as well, I really am sorry but well, let's face it, you are a rather touchy bunch.) people make and if it makes them happy, fine by me. That does not mean that I enjoy the thought or the image. Same as I don't enjoy the thought of my parents getting it on or retired seniors having some fun or other stuff like that. I really apologize for the rant but I've had it with all the whiny and prissy bitches who have to nag even when I clearly state that I don't have anything against homosexuality. Alright rant over, sorry folks, and once again, I apologize if you feel offended but you know what, screw you.**

**I believe that's all. Oh wait, one more thing: Harry acted very open and friendly in this chapter. However, once at Hogwarts this will change. Now you know Harry's personality was affected in this character due to shock and excitement. This will change and if you are unhappy with that than I am sorry for you.**

**Signing of,**

**Peeves' best friend**


	2. Sorting

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

**So, second chapter. In this chapter, Harry heads to Hogwarts. I actually give an opening for a Neville-Harry friendship, but nothing's official yet, so if you don't want Neville to be Harry's friend, let me know. I hope you enjoy the chapter, and that even though this part is pretty much a filler chapter, I still managed to make it at least mildly interesting.**

During the past few weeks, Harry had finished the pool, and he had read all his books from Flourish and Blotts. He had also started a conversation with Professor Flitwick through Hedwig, his newly named owl, to find out more about the wizarding world and the _'known'_ facts about himself, the lost twin of the Boy-Who-Lived.

Harry was now up to date on Hogwarts, pureblood customs, the complete first year syllabus, the Boy-Who-Lived tales (which were largely fabricated) and had even read some books about wandless magic abilities and the nature of magic itself.

Harry was a very studious boy who didn't need much sleep and was also pretty fit, due to all the work he had done around Private Drive and throughout Surrey. He didn't look very remarkable, but he made sure to comb his hair, having it stick out only a little bit to have the lightning bolt on his forehead covered at all times.

Therefore, when on the first of September he stepped on to Platform 9 and ¾ , he calmly walked onto the train and sought out a compartment in the middle. Apparently, most people did not arrive at 9 o'clock, but rather chose to come between 9:30 and 9:55 a.m., allowing Harry to read his last book, a book on the Mind Arts, in relative peace. Professor Flitwick had suggested the book because Mind Magics led to a better memory and a faster recall. Harry was so lost in his book that he barely noticed when the train started moving. He did notice, though, when his compartment door opened.

Harry looked up to see a brown-haired boy who was the same height as Harry, had brown eyes and had yet to lose all of his baby fat.

"Hi, sorry for bothering you, but can I sit here please?" The boy asked timidly.

"Yes, sure, come in." Harry responded.

After Harry had helped the boy stow his suitcase away, they settled down again. The boy acted very nervous so Harry decided to try and get him to relax.

"My name's Harry Potter and I'm a halfblood, though I'm Muggle-raised. What about you?" Harry introduced himself, looking the boy straight in the eyes.

"I'm Neville Longbottom, a pureblood, and I was raised by my Gran." Neville introduced himself. He had tensed at the mention of Harry's name but seemed to have calmed down when nothing special happened. "What house do you think you'll be sorted into?"

"A Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, most likely. Gryffindor is not an option because of my twin, and I don't think it's going to be Slytherin because I don't think I'd be welcomed there." Harry replied.

This sparked a conversation about all the houses, with Harry assuring Neville multiple times about his chances of getting into Gryffindor and that Hufflepuff was not a lesser house. When their conversation had slowed, Harry went back to his book, leading Neville to take out a book on Herbology as well.

When the food trolley came around, Harry bought some chocolate frogs and a Sugar Quill. After Neville had explained to Harry about the chocolate frogs and the cards that came with them, they went back to their books.

Suddenly, Neville jumped up.

"What are you doing?" Harry observed coolly, a bit irritated at the interruption.

"I lost Trevor!" Neville cried. At Harry's raised eyebrow, Neville explained about his toad and how he kept losing him. Harry only listened halfheartedly. He had pulled out his wand and was thinking about a way to track Neville's toad.

Harry waved his wand once and muttered, "Accio Trevor."

Neville looked questioningly at Harry, who simply pointed at the compartment door.

"You'll want to open that."

"Uhh, sure thing." Neville opened the door and seconds later, Trevor came floating through.

"Trevor!" Neville exclaimed; he looked elated.

"There you go. Now please calm down." Harry looked at Neville coldly.

"Sure, thank you. But why are you acting so cold all of a sudden?" Neville started mumbling again.

"We'll be arriving at Hogwarts soon and I'm preparing for the imminent meeting with my brother and the rest of the wizarding world. It is for the best if I don't show any interest and act coldly; if I remain in the background, there won't be as many problems for me. I know all the stories which have been spread about me, of how I'm a growing Dark wizard, and of how I was abandoned because my parents claimed I had been infected with Dark magic after Voldemort's defeat." Neville shivered at the mention of the Dark Lord's name, but Harry ignored it and continued on.

"It's for the best if I just avoid the spotlight and let people forget about me. To make this happen, I'm slipping on a mask, if you will, that hides who I truly am. Also, I'm asking you not to tell anybody of this, it would be best if you simply claim you were in a carriage of your own and you do not know me. Is this clear?" Harry had gazed deeply into Neville's eyes as he spoke and his message had clearly made an impact, for Neville simply nodded.

"We can still be friends though, right?" Neville hesitantly asked.

"If you befriend me, there will be some adverse effects on you. I suggest you try and befriend other people first. If by Halloween you have decided you still want to be my friend, then I will consider it. Now, we are close to Hogwarts and I believe it's time to change into my robes. I would suggest you do likewise." This was the last thing Harry said to Neville, and he started changing.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry crossed the lake in a boat along with the rest of the first years. They all ignored him, and he did likewise.

At the doors of Hogwarts, the students were handed over to a strict looking woman by the name of Professor McGonagall. They were led in to a room next to the Great Hall, and were left behind for a few minutes with the suggestion to "smarten up". It was while she was gone that Harry had his first clear view of his twin in a number of years.

Max Potter. The boy still had all of his baby fat, dark red hair, hazel eyes and was pretty short, and he was carrying a very arrogant air about himself. He was busily explaining to anybody who would listen that he had defeated Voldemort by catching the Killing Curse in his hand and throwing it back at him. According to him, the curse was so strong it had left a cursed scar on his hand, looking a lot like a skull. All of those who were listening looked highly impressed and they kept staring at the boy as if he were the next Merlin.

Harry thought the only way one could see a skull in the scar was by squinting, turning your head almost 90 degrees, and having the light fall at it from a very specific angle. He had also noticed a platinum blonde boy who had his own audience; he was explaining how superior the Malfoy family was to other families.

When McGonagall came back in, the students all followed her and Harry slid in line, far enough away from both Max, the blonde, and the professor.

Once at the front of the hall, McGonagall pulled out an ugly, old hat, which started singing.

(Traditional first year school song, ends on Thinking Cap.)

After everybody applauded, McGonagall started calling names.

Harry observed closely and started forming files in his mental archives; it was the only part of the Mind Arts he had achieved so far, and it was like a huge filing cabinet inside of his head where he could simply make files for everything which interested him, and he could rank them for easy recall.

Neville became a Gryffindor, and he let out a barely audible, but clearly relieved sigh at that. Harry made sure to add a note to the file: Cares a lot about the opinion of his grandmother.

As they came to the P's, it should have been Harry's turn, but Max was called first. This didn't surprise Harry in the least; it was a subtle ploy by Dumbledore to ensure that Max would be seen as _THE POTTER,_ and Harry would simply be ignored as the darkish twin who wasn't worth much.

After 10 minutes of total silence and Max having his expression cycle through shock, disgust, anger, disappointment, more anger, relief, and determination (which came from more anger), the hat yelled out "**Gryffindor!**"

Students started applauding, but Harry had noticed the frustration which laced the Hat's voice, and judging from the looks from Professor Flitwick and a man with long, greasy black hair, (who Harry thought fitted the description of Professor Snape), he wasn't the only one.

Then, McGonagall called out his name. Making sure his cold exterior was in place, Harry coolly walked up to the stool and let McGonagall place the hat on his head. In the seconds Harry had to judge the hall, more than three quarters of the students believed the lies his family had been spouting about him for the past ten years.

"_Ah, the younger Potter." _Harry heard a voice in his head. Easily deducing it was the Hat, he simply gave a mental nod.

"_Hmm, you have a very sharp intellect, Mr. Potter; very powerful, but courageous, loyal, and cunning to boot. Tell me Mr. Potter, are there any houses you dislike?" _

Harry told the hat, after a minute of silence.

"_Preferably not with my brother, and if possible, I would like to blend in to the crowd, so Slytherin would be out of the question as well."_ Harry replied, inwardly frowning at the idea of being in the same house as his brother.

"_Very well then; you would fit in with both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Yet in Hufflepuff you would be noticeable for your aloof character, so I believe it would be best for your goals if you went to..."_

"**Ravenclaw!"** the Hat yelled out. After a few seconds of silence, the Ravenclaw table started applauding. Harry rapidly started scanning the room to observe the reactions of the student body. The mood at the Slytherin table varied from relieved to puzzled to disappointed. The same could be said for the Gryffindors.

The Ravenclaws clearly didn't know what to think, so they had broken into small discussion groups.

The Hufflepuffs clearly thought he couldn't be too bad if he hadn't gone to Slytherin and simply left it at that.

Harry settled down in an empty spot next to some other first years, and he turned to the sorting, not showing any emotion whatsoever.

The sorting continued and Harry continued his filing. The blonde was indeed a Malfoy, Draco Malfoy to be more precise. Judging from the looks of Max, there appeared to be bad blood between them. Harry noted "potential ally" next to Malfoy's name.

After the sorting had finished, Dumbledore simply told the students to tuck in.

Using the only food-related charm Harry had read about in his books to check for contamination (a charm-and-potion-tracer spell), he received a signal from the chicken legs- which sat in front of him- but nothing else. So he dug in, ignoring the chicken legs. From time to time, Harry looked up to the staff table. One of these times he noticed that Flitwick was absolutely beaming and kept shooting smug looks at the man Harry assumed to be Snape.

As dinner had concluded, Dumbledore explained about forbidden items, a dangerous forest, and the third floor corridor being forbidden due to lethal danger. That certainly killed the mood. Before finishing, he actually called for the students to applaud for Max for a minute, because they all owed their lives to him, according to Dumbledore at least. Most students did so, with only two notable exceptions, the Slytherin table, who were simply ignored, and Harry, who made sure to just sit back and not to draw any attention to himself.

When the applause had ended, Dumbledore ended the feast and sent everybody to their dorms. The Ravenclaw prefects led the first years to the statue of an eagle. Before anybody could ask a question, the eagle spoke up:

"Build me or sink me,

Weight in my belly,

Trees on my back,

Nails in my ribs,

Feet I do lack,

What am I?"

Before either of the prefects could explain, Harry spoke up:

"You are a ship, now please get out of the way, it was a long train ride and I want to sleep."

The eagle simply jumped aside. The prefects looked stunned at Harry's rapid and icy reply, so Harry just walked in and went to the stairs which had a sign with _Boys_ on them, and walked up until he arrived at the door which held a large bronze 1.

He entered the dorm and looked around for a second. In the middle of the room, there was an old fashioned stove. There were four king-sized beds with blue sheets and a bronze raven on their footboards. Harry quickly moved his trunk and placed it in front of his chosen bed, which was equally far away from both staircase and bathroom. Harry then pulled out his wand and drew a nice cobalt blue half-circle around his bed.

The other boys entered, but before they could utter a word, Harry spoke:

"I will be sleeping here and you are not allowed to cross this blue line. I don't care about noise and rubbish, as long as you keep it outside of the circle. I am not very sociable and I don't want to talk to you. I will be placing silencing charms in my area very soon, so I will not react to any noise you make. In case of an emergency, you are allowed to cross the line to alert me. If you alert me without just reason, I will take revenge. Goodnight." Harry kept his icy exterior firmly in place and he looked each of the boys in the eyes, with an ice cold stare to make sure they understood.

When Harry thought they were suitably intimidated, he turned around and started placing the charms he had thought up himself years ago when the Dursleys were still changing.

Charms in place, Harry placed himself in his bed, closed the curtains, and began meditating. The book he had read on the train had explained about Occlumency-the defense of the mind- and Legilimency-the ability to enter other minds- with all the steps needed. Harry hadn't been able to do more than build his file cabinet due to the Welcoming Feast.

Once in trance, he started building a brick room around his mind with a simple door and lock while the file cabinet was at the center of the room. Finished with his defense, he opened his eyes to look at his watch. 2:47 a.m. Harry immediately changed into his pajamas and went to bed.

**So that's all for now. I understand that it's early for Harry to already learn Occlumency, but I don't think it is overkill for 2 simple reasons:**

**-It's a simple brick room with a lock; I mean seriously, anybody who knows Legilimency can get in there.**

**-Harry will be studious and smart. Voldemort had a great magical talent and Harry will be facing him at some point. I want to at least give the boy a chance.**

**Please do review if you want to steer the story a certain way; you can PM me or use the polls which **_**should**_** become available at my profile at some point.**


	3. Halloween

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

**Hi, so this is chapter 3. I hope you all enjoy. The first three chapters were written before I uploaded the chapter. Uploading speed will decrease. I got some reviews and they were all pretty positive, so I'm happy with that. However, I don't know what to do with friendship, pairing and bashing. Last i** checked, **there was one vote on the poll, asking for an OC pairing. There were also some requests in the reviews, but not enough to influence the story just yet. Now, enough blabbing, enjoy the next chapter of: HPatEC**

**I'll also be replying to a review because the user has disabled PM'ing:**

**The Twilightnight: I'm sorry but I wont do Harry/Luna because I simply can't write a credible Luna. Your english is understandable so that's no problem, as for the bashing, I'll probably do something like that, although for one of them there might be redemption at a later point.  
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**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER  
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><p>When Harry got up the next morning, he immediately noticed the other curtains were still drawn.<p>

'_Good, that means I've got plenty of time'_, Harry got up and started preparing for the next day. After a nice cold shower to completely wake up, Harry brushed his teeth and got dressed.

'_So, it's 6.29 p.m., first classes are at 8.20, breakfast starts at 7.30. __So I've got an hour of free time. I should start mapping the castle.', _Harry had already decided that he would be making a mental map of Hogwarts as soon as possible. The castle is huge and this would make it infinitely easier to avoid getting lost.

When Harry entered the Great Hall at 7.42, he had already found the library, the hospital wing, the shortest route from the Great Hall to the Ravenclaw common room, 4 different boys toilets and 1 polstergeist who had fortunately not noticed Harry. If Harry recalled correctly (and he was quite certain he did,) than that polstergeist was Peeves, a true menace according to the fourth years he had eavesdropped on.

Harry sat down at the Ravenclaw table and slowly started eating, whilst enjoying his bacon, Harry slowly went over his files from the previous night, and added some extra mental notes where necessary.

The Hall started filling up and the professors started handing out schedules to the students.

When Flitwick reached Harry, he got a small, smug smile on his face.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, not a real surprise to see you in my house. I must admit I'm rather happy. I won the teachers pool thanks to you!" Flitwick excitedly told him.

"I'm rather happy with my house as well sir. But who did you bet against? Professor Snape ?"

"Indeed. Well then, here you go, a basic first year schedule. Anything else I can help you with?" Professor Flitwick was already half moving when he heard Harry's unexpected response.

"Yes sir, there is one thing actually. You see, as you and I are both aware, I have a rather negative reputation . Thanks to untrue tales ofcourse. And well, you see, I would like to ask you if it would be a problem if I knowingly held back in class. I don't want to be noticeable. I would rather melt in to the crowd. And that won't work if I have to work at my best, because I have already mastered some of the first year spells." Harry calmly spoke, hoping to convince Flitwick through his sound arguments.

Flitwick remained quite for a minute, and he looked really pensive.

"I understand...Well than, Harry, I hereby give you permission to hold back in my class. However, in exchange, I expect you to come and practice Advanced Charms from 7.30 untill 8.30 in my office, every Tuesday. And you will have to arrange something with the other professors yourself. And no matter what they say, this arrangement remains between the two of us. Is that agreeable?"

"Yes sir, thank you sir. See you in class sir." Harry was very pleased about this, but he managed to keep his excitement hidden and he replied in a very calm and polite way.

"Very well. Enjoy the rest of your breakfast." And Flitwick was of again. Handing out more schedules.

~~~~~Scene Break~~~~

A week had passed. And Harry had managed to get an agreement with Professor McGonnagal, similar to the one he had with Professor Flitwick.

His first Potions class had also passed with little ado. Unlike his brother, when Professor Snape had passed Harry's name when he had taken presence, for the Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff class, nothing special had happened, and Snape had not specifically targeted Harry.

Harry didn't have to make a special agreement, he simply followed the basic recipe and managed to hand in a decent potion at the end of the class. Not exceptional in any way.

Using the basic recipes as they stood in their books, it was impossible to make a perfect potion. The secret was to find ways to improve the recipes on your own. And although Harry had read 3 books on Potions Theory, he had decided not to apply his improvements in class. That way he did not have to risk any one-on-one contact with Snape.

Herbology was not Harry's strong suit. No matter what he did, he just got an uncomfortable feel around al the plants. It would probably be his most difficult class at Hogwarts. At least for the practical part.

History of Magic was spent reading different books from the library, Harry had already read his HoM text three times, and he had it completely memorised and filed away in his cabinet. Waiting for the exam. HoM would be like a study period, at least for the remainder of the year.

Defense against the Dark Arts was a laugh. Harry had considered talking with Professor Quirell after class, as he had done with McGonnagal. But after actually sitting through a DADA class, he had decided against it. Instead, DADA was spent studying and practicing small spells under his desk.

His first meeting with Flitwick had been his highlight of the week though. Flitwick had handed him a very interesting book, _Charms for the novices Charmer, _and he had let Harry read it for the remainder of the hour. They would be trying some of the charms in the book next week.

His first meeting with McGonnagal had been a test, to see if he was actually as good as he claimed. McGonnagal had let Harry do all the assignments they would be seeing that year. And by the end of the hour, he had just managed to finish the last assignment. McGonnagal had been convinced, and Harry had been pleased with his performance.

Now, Harry had just read a notice on the common room board, apparently, they would be having flying class with the Hufflepuffs next Sunday.

Harry had also memorised the locations of all his classrooms and all other things he needed to get around the castle. He was still scanning for shortcuts and other useful locations though.

All in all, Harry was pretty pleased with his first week. Nobody had approached him, and he had likewise avoided all others.

It probably had something to do with having most classes with the Hufflepuffs, the only two exceptions were HoM which they had with the Slytherins and Charms which they had with the Gryffindors.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry was pleased, he was enjoying a specacular Halloween feast, along with the rest of Hogwarts.

Harry's average routine had kept up. He absolutely despised Herbology by now though. Those plants just would not co-operate. Other than that, Harry had just kept to the crowd, doing his best not to stand out. He had had a short conversation with Draco Malfoy during HoM, and he had managed to avoid antagonising the boy. It wasn't much, but Harry wouldn't be needing allies anytime soon.

All in all, nothing noteworthy had happened.

Unfortunately, Harry's good luck just had to end at some point. And apparently, some point was right now.

The doors to the Great Hall burst open, and Professor Quirrel burst in.

"Troll! Troll in the dungeons! There's a troll in the dungeons! I thought you might wanted to know."

And then Quirell just fainted, his face impacting with the floor.

It was completely silent for a few seconds. Harry was rapidly pondering something though.

'_He feinted forwards! __Who the bloody hell faints forwards? __Nobody _does _! And he didn't stutter! Something weird is going on here!'_

Before Harry could think any more, all hell broke lose.

Dumbledore had to fire of some bangs with his wand to restore calm.

"Prefects, lead your housemates back to your common rooms, professors with me._"_

Harry calmly got up and followed the sixth year male prefect. The Gryffindors were walking ahead of them. Just as his group started taking a turn, he spotted Max and Ron Weasley splitting off of their own group, and running full tilt towards a staircase.

'_Interesting, I'll follow from a distance.'_ Harry slipped away from his own group and followed them at a distance. All the way to... a girls toilet ?

'_Dissapointing. Very well, lets head back. __They're probably just here to come and 'rescue' the bushy beaver they mocked during charms.'_ Harry had already turned around to head back to the Ravenclaw common room, when he saw the troll head in to the toilet.

When the baboons locked the door, he immediately realised that the morons were not aware that the beaver was in that same toilet. He turned around and started running to them, simultaneously firing of the only messaging spell he knew, it simply sent off a small ball which could contain up to 10 words. Upon reaching it's destination, it would simply project the 10 words in the air.

Harry sent it off, wishing for it to reach Professor Flitwick, with the message: **"4 students in danger, troll, 1st floor, girls toilet, HELP!"**

Harry saw the morons enter the toilet the second they heard a yell coming from the inside. Harry really regretted tailing them from such a long distance right now.

When Harry sprinted in, he saw Max throwing seriously underpowered Stunners at the Troll, and Weasley was throwing random rubble. The troll was not effected at all. He had turned around though, and he had started moving in the direction of the stationary goons. Harry rapidly analysed the situation.

He didn't want to give anything away about his abilities though. So he just pulled out his wand and used a simple Wingardium Leviosa to get the paralysed beaver out of the door, he then let loose a loud bang, to stun the troll for a second, just long enough to levitate Max and Ron outside as well. Harry jumped outside, just as the troll realised that he was the one responsible for the noise.

Harry shut the door and locked it. He just hoped it was reinforced against troll attacks.

The professors arrived to the sight of Harry Potter levitating statues in front of a toilet door, Hermione Granger, sitting completely still, staring straight ahead, and Ron Weasley and Max Potter who simply stood there gaping at Harry.

Dumbledore assessed the situation the fastest, and conjured a solid marble wall in the door opening, to avoid the troll from breaking through. It had been slowly succeeding despite Harry's efforts.

The professors then turned to the four students.

"What is going on here?" It was McGonnagal who acted as the questioner. And she did not seem pleased.

"Mr Potter, please explain!" McGonnagal was turned towards Harry, but before he could open his mouth, Max swiftly started.

"Well Professor, when Professor Dumbledore made his anouncement, Hermione was not in the Great Hall. She was still in that bathroom. Therefor, she didn't know of the troll. Ron and I realised this when you had all left already. We immediately came to get Hermione. Unfortunately, the troll had also arrived. So we started fighting it, I kept throwing stunners at it to slow it down and to distract it, and Ron levitated Hermione out. We ran outside and closed the door. We then both started to place statues in front of the door. Then _He _arrived, and he took over, only seconds before you all arrived, madam." Max talked as if he actually believed the bullshit he was spouting, and when he mentioned Harry, he spit it out as if Harry were Voldemort himself.

McGonnagal and Dumbledore seemed tempted to believe him, but before they could, Flitwick broke in.

"Harry, what's your side of the story, because you look rather disbelieving." Flitwick managed to say, just before McGonnagal or Dumbledore could say anything.

"I look disbelieving sir, because that is just plain not true. Their story is true up tot the part were they came here for the be... Miss Granger." Harry almost misspoke there. He could kick himself in the head! He rapidly continued.

"You see, I was hoping to see something interesting. You never know when it might come in handy. When they arrived here, I was mightily dissapointed. I had expected something more useful. I turned around and started moving back to the common room. Then I saw the troll enter the toilet, and I saw these two follow it after we could clearly hear Granger yell in terror. So I turned around and sprinted this way, I fired of a messenger spell to Professor Flitwick whilst moving. By the way, did you receive it sir?"

At Flitwick's nod, Harry continued his tale. "When I entered the toilet, Weasley was throwing rubble at it and Potter was firing stunners at it. I noticed that they were not in imminent danger as the troll had only just turned towards them. Therefor I first levitated Granger out of the bathroom, then I let of a bang to buy me some more time, I levitated Weasley and Potter out as well, then I jumped out myself. Once out, I locked the door and when I realized the troll was breaking through the enchantments, i started levitating statues to reinforce the door. That's what happened sir." Harry finished his tale.

"Liar! You are just trying to get attention! Ron and I had everything under control! You levitated 2 statues! That's all you did!" Max yelled. Clearly trying to put himself in a good daylight and to make Harry look untrustworthy.

"Mr. Potter, control yourself!" McGonnagal seemed to have a hard time choosing who to believe, but Max his yelling didn't do him any credit.

"Now then, Miss Granger. Would you please care to explain ?" McGonnagal decided to hear Granger's side, as she had finally become responsive again.

"The Ravenclaw one is speaking the truth Professor." Granger hesitantly spoke.

"Very well then. 5 points to Gryffindor for Mr. Weasley, for helping those in need. 10 points from Gryffindor for Mr. Potter, for lying to a Professor, twice. And 30 points to Ravenclaw for Mr. Potter, for a cool head under stress, for helping those in need, for excellent use of the levitation charm and for alerting a professor as soon a possible."

McGonnagal was clearly displeased about taking points from Gryffindor, but Harry knew then and there, that McGonnagal would be on his side for any future conflicts.

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><p><strong>Chapter 3 is done. I hope you all liked it. Harry <strong>**will not come into the spotlight. As far as he is concerned, this was an unfortunate turn of events. So he'll smoothly move back in to the shadows. Please, review and give your opinion. Also, Harry knows all students names, but he has only had any real contact with Neville, and his small discussion with Draco during HoM. So he still has to form an opinion on all other students. And others have not noticed Harry either, he's just part of the furniture for the average student. **


	4. Ruddy Gryffindors

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

**Hi again, I really can't believe how much alerts, favorites and reviews I've gotten already. So first of all: Thanks to everybody who has read this story so far, with a special thank you to the people who reviewed or PM'ed me. It's thanks to you that I find the motivation to keep going and not just abandon the story the moment I don't feel like writing any more. So, I'll be introducing an OC in this chapter, well actually, she won't even talk to Harry. But seeing as the poll has Daphne Greengrass and OC as leading options at the moment, the pairing will be either one of those two. Pairing won't be important yet, they're only 11 after all.**

**I think that's all, I've had loads of reviews, so I'll be replying to those via PM or something. Please enjoy the next installment of HPatEC!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

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><p>Since Halloween, not much has changed for Harry. He successfully managed to slip back into the crowd. Apparently, Granger has befriended Weasley and Max. Harry's advanced lessons with Professors McGonnagal and Flitwick simply continued.<p>

Neville Longbottom did indeed approach Harry the day after Halloween, to ask if Harry would consider befriending him. Harry and Neville have struck up a tentative friendship, which consist of nothing more than Harry helping Neville in Charms and chatting a bit every now and then.

Harry has also kept up his sporadic contact with Draco Malfoy during HoM. It isn't very easy because Draco is extremely prejudiced and he keeps talking about Mudbloods and superiority, but Harry has managed to keep civil with him so far.

Granger also approached Harry after the troll incident, but any hopes she had of befriending Harry were rapidly shot down when he told her in no unsure terms that he had only saved her because he was close by. He also told her he found her annoying when in class and he found her quoting of the textbooks obnoxious and unnecessary.

Christmas had come and passed. Harry got simply got some money from the Dursleys, which he invested in owl-ordered books from Flourish and Blotts, and he got a box of chocolate frogs from Neville. Harry had given Neville a box of cauldron cakes as well.

Draco Malfoy had given Harry a present as well. Harry had been pleasantly surprised when he opened it to find _Curious Curses_, in exchange, Harry had given Draco a book on Potions Theory, so Draco could begin adapting his own recipes.

Speaking of Draco, he had claimed to have seen a pet dragon in Hagrid's hut, and he said that Max and his friends knew of it. According to Draco, they would be bringing it to the Astronomy Tower one night, in an attempt to get it to Weasley's brother in Romania.

In the end, it had turned out that Draco had been right. Granger, Potter and some other Gryffindor girl had lost Gryffindor a hundred-and-fifty points after being captured at the foot of the Astronomy Tower in the middle of the night.

Draco had tried to capture them on his own, which had resulted in him being caught as well.

They had had their detention in the Forbidden Forest. According to Draco, Max and him had seen a wraith drinking unicorn blood. Harry didn't exactly know what to believe of it. But when he had tried his fledgling Leggilimency skills on Draco, he had seen the scene, almost exactly as Draco depicted it.

Oh yeah! Max had been made Seeker for Gryffindor at some point. He was pretty good to, according to rumor. Harry honestly wasn't a big fan of Quidditch, he hadn't even seen any match this far.

And now, exams had just ended. Seeing as the only results which really counted and went on record, were those of fifth year and higher, Harry had simply performed at an average level. Professor McGonnagal had needed some convincing, but Harry had simply claimed it would be best if he avoided the spotlight in any and all ways possible.

Now, Harry was calmly walking down the hallway, after having gone to return his bag to his dorm, he was planning on spending the afternoon outside. Probably run a bit. Harry had found that running or other physical excercise helped him clear his mind, and keep his need for action satisfied. So he had taken to running, because there was little else he could do around the school. He was just about to turn into the Great Hall when he picked up on a interesting tidbit of conversation.

Max was desperately trying to convince McGonnagal that the Philosophers Stone would be stolen that night. From what Max said, Harry could easily glean he suspected Snape, who was the stereotypical choice. Harry wasn't so sure though.

And although Max's claims sounded ridiculous, and he didn't manage to convince McGonnagal, there was something in his tone which made Harry think twice.

So Harry once again tailed Max and his followers. They went outside. When suddenly, the girl who according to Draco, had been with Max when they went into the Forbidden Forest, clearly had an epiphany. Harry remembered her name to, Rachel Owens.

She sprinted of, the others following her, to Hagrid's hut. Harry knew he had no cover there, so he wouldn't be able to eavesdrop unnoticed.

He decided to use a listening charm on a small pebble, and he then used a low level sticking charm. He swiftly stuck it to Granger's bag. And he simply settled down.

Hagrid had apparently told some stranger, and now Max and his crowd as well, how to get past a giant treeheaded dog, who formed the first level of defense against potential thieves.

Harry eavesdropped a little longer, and soon had all the information he could possibly gather.

And he had to agree with the Gryffindors. All in all, the clues pointed to somebody trying to steal the Stone tonight. So Harry did the only safe thing he could think of.

He gathered himself, dropped his charms on the pebble, and went to the staff room to find professor Flitwick.

When he had Flitwick alone, he started his tale: "Professor, I believe that somebody will be trying to steal the Philosophers Stone from Hogwarts, tonight."

Flitwick was clearly startled, however he only said: "Please explain."

"Of course sir, the first clue would be the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin Quidditch match. Somebody tried to curse Max his broom, and it was a strong curse too. Secondly, Hagrid told a hooded stranger how to get past the first obstacle, after having been fed drunk by this stranger. Third, Dumbledore is not in the school, and he will not be back by tonight. Fourth, Max witnessed a conversation between Quirrel and Snape involving the Stone and its protections.

Max and his crew believe Snape to be the thief to be, and they think he's bullying Quirrel into telling him the secret to the last unknown obstacle. I however, think that Quirrel is the culprit, and I have some additional proof for that. He fainted forwards at Halloween. His stutter was completely gone when he came in, yelling about a troll, and this is his first year teaching after an absence during which he did who knows what. So sir, have I convinced you, or will I be forced to take other measures?" Harry finished his tale with a slightly raised eyebrow and an equally slight smirk.

"Say I believe you Harry. And I head down tonight, to prevent a theft. Do you believe you will be able to convince any other professors? Because if I head down there on my own, I might not be able to subdue the culprit, or even send a message for help. The question is not only if I believe you. The question is if even if I do, can the potential miscreant be stopped?" Flitwick clearly wasn't very sure about what to do.

Harry however, had already formed a plan.

"Very well sir, I will take other measures. No, don't worry, I already have a plan. I will make sure to alert you if anything happens. Good day sir." Having said what he had to say, Harry went outside to finally take that run he had been planning.

That night, Harry laid in wait in the third floor corridor. He had cast the strongest obscuring, notice-me-not, and disillusionining spells he knew. He was relying heavily on the arrogance of the thief. Hoping that the thief to be would not have the common sense to scan for any spells.

It was 00.36, when Harry saw somebody. He had been correct, Quirrel was going for the stone. Harry didn't move, until Quirrel had passed the dog, and was out of sight. Just as he wanted to send messages to some professors, Max, Ron, Hermione and Rachel showed up. Not wanting to risk being blamed for being dark, Harry decided to wait until they too had left. Unfortunately they took much longer to get past the dog and out of sight.

When it was finally clear, Harry sent of emergency messages to Flitwick, McGonnagal, Snape and Sprout. Informing them of everything which had transpired during the past twenty minutes.

When they finally arrived, Harry dropped his charms. And he simply pointed to the open trapdoor and the harp which were lying next to a sleeping Fluffy.

The professors didn't hesitate one second. They all jumped in and used simple lumos charms to get past the devils' snare. Harry decided to tag along. Who knows, he might learn something.

Flitwick and McGonnagal easily overcame their obstacles, Flitwick simply gave a command for the appropriate key to come to him, and McGonnagal simply strode up to the board and said, "We'll be playing as black then." All pieces simply moved aside and the door was easily reachable. What was unexpected however, was finding a knocked out Ron Weasley next to the door. Sprout decided to stay back, and take the boy back up to the hospital wing.

The group moved on, finding an enormous, but knocked out, troll in the next room.

They arrived in another room. Only just in time to stop Max from drinking a potion which would lead him through to the next room. Snape simply moved his wand a few times, multiplying the potion. As McGonnagal started leading back her Gryffindors, Harry decided to profit, taking McGonnagal's dose.

Snape and Flitwick had already moved on. And just as Max noticed Harry, and started protesting that he wasn't taken back upstairs, Harry walked through the flames.

Harry immediately hid behind the closest pillar and analyzed the room. Snape and Flitwick were facing an angry-looking Quirrel who had his back to some kind of mirror. Then Quirrel turned around, and started unwinding his turban.

However, where Quirrel's head should have been, there was a terrible looking face. Harry almost lost his cool. And judging by Snape's sharp intake of breath, he wasn't the only one.

"Aah Severus, a pleasure to see you here. I believe it would be best if you could help me out here. Please be so kind as to help Quirinius take care of Flitwick." The face spoke.

"I do not know who or what you are, but we will not allow you to steal that stone." Snape coolly replied, before swiftly sending a stunning curse at Quirrel.

The face didn't have the opportunity to say any more as Quirrel hurriedly turned around to deflect Snape's spell, and then they started dueling. Quirrel was clearly no match for the two professors though, and he rapidly fell to the combined onslaught of Snape's well placed cutters and Flitwick who was seamlessly flowing from spell to spell.

Harry made the mental connection to a chain of spells or spellchain for short. Basically, Flitwick just made movements so that the last wand movement of his spell was the same as the first move of his next spell. Harry was highly impressed.

Once Quirrel was bound and gagged, he started screaming into his gag. The next moment, a black smoke came flying out of his back. And his body crumbled into dust.

Harry had to stuff his fist in his mouth to avoid yelling. He had to admit he had honestly lost his cool there.

The smoke just drifted in the air for a second. And just as Snape started a really complex incantation, it flew off.

Harry walked up to the professors. They were both clearly surprised by seeing him there.

"Potter! What are you doing here! A hundred points from Ravenclaw!" Snape yelled. He tried to grab Harry's arm to drag him to the door, but Harry simply did a step back.

"That was Voldemort, wasn't it? So the great _Saviour _didn't kill him..." Harry didn't let Snape intimidate him. He wanted some answers and he wanted them now.

"That's none of your..." Snape started off, but before he could get his tirade on the road, Flitwick interfered.

"Yes Harry. That was indeed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. And although your brother managed to destroy his body, at least some part of him clearly survived. It seems pretty clear to me that he is looking for a way back, if he wanted the stone. Severus, please calm down. It is thanks to Harry that we arrived in time after all." Flitwick calmly explained.

"Even so, the boy has no business here. There was no need to follow us!" Snape was clearly displeased with Harry's presence.

"The only reason I followed, professor, was in the hopes to learn something. The same reason I had during the troll incident. Please sir, is it really necessary to take a hundred points?" Harry didn't show it, but he was pretty desperate to get those points restored. He wanted to remain in the shadows.

If he lost Ravenclaw a hundred points, he sure as hell wouldn't be able to remain part of the crowd.

"Yes, I think Severus exaggerates a little bit as wel. Very well, I retract 80 points of that punishment. And another fifty points to Ravenclaw for cool logic, and once again alerting a professor as soon as possible. Harry, I understand that you wanted to learn, however. That does not make it acceptable for you to follow us without permission. Please remember that next time." Flitwick calmly spoke. He had to stare Snape down on it though.

Harry silently wondered if Flitwick was a good enough Occlumens to keep Snape out of his head after an eye contact which lasted more than a minute.

"Very well. Let's leave then. We should alert Albus as well. Potter, come to my office tomorrow at 7 p.m." Snape finally spoke, simultaneously breaking his staring match with Flitwick.

"With all due respect, professor Snape sir, if whatever you want to meet me for, lasts longer than half an hour, you will have to schedule it a bit earlier please sir. Tomorrow is a Tuesday. I have another meeting scheduled that evening.

"Very well. 6 p.m. than. Now, let's get moving." The discussion was clearly over for Snape.

Harry followed the professors back to the exit. When they arrived in the Devil's Snare room, Flitwick turned to Harry.

"I believe we might as well use this little outing for an educational purpose, don't you Harry? Flitwick happily asked.

Harry knew it was a rhetorical question, so he just kept silent.

"We'll be using the Propulsion Spell to get back to the exit. Now repeat after me: _'Porposo'," _Flitwick calmly lectured. Snape had already left.

Harry kept repeating after Flitwick until he was absolutely satisfied with the incantation.

"Now then, this is a constant drain spell Harry, you will be propulsed as long as you put power in the spell. The more power, the faster you go upwards. The movement is a simple stab in the direction you want to push the pulse at. So in this case, we'll point to the ground. And you can put in as much power as you want. Do try to avoid bumping into anything. You may try now." Flitwick calmly finished his lecture, before looking expectantly at Harry.

Harry simply did as instructed, knowingly putting in only a low amount of power, he slowly lifted off. Harry kept adding power, until he was climbing at a comfortable speed. Flitwick easily caught up.

"Now then, Harry, you can add small corrections to your course by pointing your wand to the ground at a slight angle. However, you can't change it too much, or you'll stop climbing. Try to fly through the trapdoor hole without hitting anything. To stop your spell, simply stop putting power in it."

Harry did as instructed, and not a second to early, he barely made it through the opening, almost hitting the right side of the hole. When Harry landed, it was to the sight of Hagrid dragging out his dog using an enormous leash with three collars. One for every head.

Harry was then brought to the hospital wing, where they found the Gryffindors as well. The Gryffindors had been brought there as well. Weasley was being treated by madam Pomfrey. Granger and Owens were at his bedside. Dumbledore was talking to Max in a corner.

"Albus!" Snape said, immediately striding to Dumbledore.

"Here you go Harry, I do believe you are fine, should I have you checked by Madam Pomfrey or are you just going to head back to the common room?" Flitwick turned to Harry with a knowing smile. Already expecting the predictable answer.

"I'm fine sir, I'll head back to the common room. And sir, please try and minimize my involvement to Dumbledore. And do make sure that the Gryffindors don't win the House Cup just because of this escapade. I'm fine with the Slytherins or the Hufflepuffs winning, but please, not the Gryffindors just for this one stupid adventure. Good night sir." Harry calmly informed Flitwick, before hurriedly sneaking out of the hospital wing. Only seconds before Pomfrey turned expectantly in Flitwick's direction.

"He has decided he is not in need of any medical attention, Poppy." Flitwick said, before hastily making his way to Dumbledore, to avoid Madam Pomfrey's ire.

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><p><strong>Chapter 4 is finished. Next Chapter will probably tie up y<strong>**ear 1. Do please leave a review and give your opinion on Daphne/Oc as partner for Harry.**

**Also, tell me what you think about Draco and Neville as potential friends.**

**I hope you enjoyed, **

**Signing out, Peeves' best friend**


	5. 1 down, 6 to go

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

**Oof, Chapter 5 is up and year 1 is over. I actually went more in depth than I had originally planned. This is my shortest chapter yet, but there wasn't really much to write about. I could have gone more in depth on some things, but this story will be focusing on the later years, so I didn't really see the point. Harry will have his first actual conversation with my OC, Rachel Owens, who I have decide will probably be paired with Harry. I just didn't see Daphne as the fitting match for this Harry. Now then, please read the note at the bottom of the chapter as well, it will be explaining something I am expecting at least some annoyed comments on.**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

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><p>The next day, Harry was walking down to breakfast, he was pretty late too, when he was approached by Rachel.<p>

When it became clear that she wanted to talk to him, Harry stopped walking and simply lifted his left eyebrow, to express a questioning look. His right eyebrow was reserved for disdain. He decided to keep that one down for a second.

Rachel had long black hair, falling just below her shoulders. She had a nice, open face. And she had an average complexion. Maybe a bit on the pale side, but that might have been because of last night's adventure.

"Thank you." The girl simply spoke.

"Excuse me?" Whatever Harry had been expecting, it really wasn't an unprovoked thank you from this girl he hadn't even spoken more than a handful of words to.

"I said thank you." Rachel repeated. Clearly thinking Harry simply hadn't heard clearly.

"Yes... I got that. I do not understand why you are thanking me, you silly girl." She was working on Harry's nerves. He had been planning to get to breakfast as fast as possible so he could still take a run outside. And if this girl kept it up, he wouldn't be able to do so, and he was getting annoyed.

She assumed he was stupid or deaf! That's just plain insulting! He was a Ravenclaw for crying out loud!

"I'm not silly, you jerk! I was thanking you for coming to help us last night! But I'm starting to doubt you deserve a thank you!" Rachel yelled.

Harry immediately noted a _fiery temper, easily offended_, in his files.

"I indeed do not deserve your thank you than. I called for teachers because the Stone was about to be stolen. Your presence was actually a major hindrance. I could have called them earlier if you fools had not shown up. Now then, I want to get to breakfast, goodbye, silly girl." Harry decided to end the conversation with that and simply moved on towards the Great Hall.

Harry had already moved out of sight, by the time Rachel recovered replied,

"Asshole!"

But Harry simply ignored her and kept moving.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry was calmly sitting at the Ravenclaw table. Waiting for Dumbledore to announce the House Cup results. His meeting with Snape had been tense. Snape had simply stared at Harry for the first five minutes. He had tried Legillimency the moment Harry walked through the door. Harry had managed to rebuff him, barely, but his shields hadn't fallen.

The moment Snape realised Harry had any shields whatsoever, he had pulled back and he had started staring.

In the end, it had been decided that Harry would be meeting with Snape on Fridays, from 8 until 9 p.m. starting next year, the lessons would be alternating between Advanced Potions and Advanced DADA.

Unfortunately Harry had been forced to tell Snape about his arrangements with McGonnagal and Flitwick as well. So that was another person who was informed of Harry's abilities. And one whom Harry didn't really trust either.

Harry knew Snape disliked the Potters to an extreme amount, and unfortunately, some of that dislike had carried on to Harry. Harry knew it was a tentative arrangement, and he could only hope that Snape would be able to fully overcome his prejudice if confronted with Harry on a more regular basis.

Flitwick had used their meeting to practice a few more simple, but useful charms. He had also handed Harry an enormous book.

_Undetectable magic uncovered,_ a book on all kinds of magic which could be practiced and discovered without being detectable by the underage magic trackers.

When Harry had simply lifted his left eyebrow, Flitwick had told him to use his summer to see if he could detect one or more of these magics in himself.

Ah. Dumbledore is standing up. Harry pulled out of his reminiscing, and looked to the front, along with the other students.

"Another year has ended. And it has come to my attention that the House Cup needs awarding. After certain events which took place a few nights ago, some last minute points have been previously awarded. And the final standings are: In Fourth Place with a total of 354 points, Hufflepuff. In Third Place, with a total of 389 points, Gryffindor,"

Dumbledore seemed rather sour about that, however Flitwick had told Harry that his attempts to award any more points to the Gryffs had been shot down by the combined efforts of Flitwick, Snape and Sprout.

"In Second Place, Slytherin, with 492 points. This means that this year, the House cup goes to RAVENCLAW with a stunning amount of 507 points!" Dumbledore finished and immediately sat down. Still looking rather grumpy.

The Ravenclaw table erupted into cheers and the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors started cheering as well when they realized the Slytherin streak had been broken. Harry simply lifted his left eyebrow when he noticed Flitwick's enormous beaming smile.

Harry decided to show his opinion with a small, largely unnoticed smirk.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry had just dug out a book, and was about to enjoy a quiet and calm train ride, when his compartment door opened.

"Hi Harry, mind if I sit here?" It was Neville. He still sounded just a tad nervous, but Harry gave a simple nod.

"Thanks. Congratulations with the House Cup by the way." Neville sat down across from Harry.

Eventually, they started up a conversation about the past year, when Neville's results in Transfiguration came up.

"My grandmother is really disappointed I'm so bad at Transfiguration, my dad was pretty good at it, and it's not a weakness of his wand." Neville said.

Harry finally looked up from his book. "Your dad's wand?"

"Yeah, see it's ..." Neville tried to tell Harry, however he was swiftly interrupted by Harry.

"That is your father's wand? Why are you using your father's wand? I know as a matter in fact that your family does not have any financial trouble. If the wand has not chosen you, than you really should go to Ollivander's to get a new one. A wand which has not accepted you will not work decently." Harry swiftly explained.

Neville simply gaped at Harry. He tried to utter some form of protest, but Harry simply cut his hand through the air.

"I have given you some well-meant advice, if you do not decide to follow it, then it's your loss. Now, I want to read, so please, do keep yourself occupied silently." Harry coldly told Neville. Not even looking up from his book.

Some time later, Draco showed up to wish Harry a good vacation. Harry did likewise.

"So, I'll be going to provoke your _beloved_ brother for a second. Feel like joining me?" Draco offered.

"No thanks, Draco. You are fully aware I will be most pleased if I manage to avoid all contact with him and his... associates, for the rest of my life. And you know very well, that being seen as your friend in public, is not beneficial for me right now. Oh, and Draco, do send me a letter sometime. You as well Neville." Having said all he had to say, Harry went back to his book for the rest of the train ride.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry had been back at Private Drive for a week. Harry had carefully gone over the events concerning the Stone a few times since his return.

And Harry's conclusion had not been very positive.

Problem: Voldemort is alive, and is probably busily looking for a way to get his body back as well.

Conclusion: War will erupt again.

Side to choose: Harry couldn't willingly support Voldemort. He might not be as narrow-minded as others, but he most definitely did not support Voldemort's views. Voldemort would not allow people to remain neutral again. So Harry would be stuck with the Light side. Unless another side came up, which was unlikely, as there were only two options: Pro-Voldemort or Contra-Voldemort.

Plan of action: Harry was already busily studying and improving his magical ability, he also had a good condition, thanks to his running. But he did need to build up some muscle.

If there was one thing Harry had learned from the duel with Snape and Flitwick against Quirrel, it was that you needed to be agile to fight decently as well. So Harry would need to start doing an actual sport, instead of just running.

Dudley had taken up boxing, perhaps Harry should consider doing the same. Boxing is a sport which builds muscle, makes you more durable, and it gets you light on your feet.

One or two special and uncommon abilities might be useful as well. But Harry had Flitwick's book for that.

Yes, Harry would certainly manage to keep busy this summer. On top of all that, both Neville and Draco had written him.

Neville had apparently managed to convince his grandmother, and he was rapidly relearning the entire first year syllabus.

Draco had been practicing to join the Slytherin Quidditch Team next year. He had also talked to his father about Voldemort's first reign. According to Draco, Lucius was quite pleased with his current lot in life. Draco claimed Lucius had been talking about getting rid of the Dark Lord's artifact.

Harry had to admit he was actually curious what he might mean with that.

Well, he'd best go and see Uncle Vernon about joining Dudley's boxing club...

* * *

><p><strong>Now then, I'm expecting some comments on Ravenclaw winning the cup. However, I actually see it as perfectly logical. In the first book, Ravenclaw came in at fifty points less than Slytherin. Now add the Halloween incident, and Harry would have at least gotten some points for his role in the saving of the stone, then take in to account the points Harry has received during his extra meetings with McGonnagal and Flitwick. I actually think I could have given Ravenclaw even more points. So I think that's pretty fair. Also, I got a comment on Harry not having any money whatsoever from his parents, yet still having the last name. He doesn't have the money, because Lily and James closed down his vault. Can they do that? I personally think they can, because we <em>are<em> talking about a world which is basically lagging behind by at least 200 years. Why did he not lose his last name. Lily and James never thought it necessary, and by now, they have basically forgotten about Harry's existence. So that's why they have no financial responsibility whatsoever, yet Harry has maintained his last name. Please do review, they are what gives me the motivation to keep going. Also, I have decided what I want to do with this story, and what road I want to travel. So suggestions are no longer specifically requested. They're always welcome ofcourse, but they aren't really necessary anymore.**

******Please review, bye Peeves' best friend  
><strong>


	6. Dingding, Round 2

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

**So, Chapter 6 is done. Another shorty, without anything big happening, but it gives a quick recap on Harry's summer and it gets him back at Hogwarts.**

**Thank you for all the reviews, favorites, and alerts. They make writing so much more fun. I don't think I have anything else to say. Please enjoy the chapter!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

* * *

><p>Harry grunted as he had to take a hit to the ribs in order to keep his head covered. Dudley might be slower than Harry, bet he was a heavy hitter as well. Harry managed to duck under Dudley's follow-up and gave a quick straight jab to Dudley's right shoulder, followed by a strong left hook to the head. Dudley didn't go down, but he started wobbling precariously.<p>

Just as Harry wanted to go in for the kill, the bell sounded.

"Great job you guys. Harry, try to put some more powers behind your punches. You speed and footwork are fine, but you really have to build some more strength. Dudley, you have to remember you footwork.

You have plenty of power, but you need to work on your agility. And also, Dudley before you go home, stop by Karen for a sec. She's worked out a diet for you. You've got great talent. But you need to lose some fat to really have it come out. See you next week Dudley." Marc, the boxing trainer gave the boys some advice, before he let them head off to the showers.

Vacation was almost over, Harry would be heading back to Hogwarts tomorrow. He had indeed joined the boxing club. It had done wonders for Harry's muscles as well.

Other than that, Harry had spent his vacation studying and testing himself for any kinds of magic from Professor Flitwick's book.

Harry had found that he had elemental powers, with water as his element. Apparently, elementals weren't exactly rare, but it was a largely forgotten art.

So Harry had been training his powers. He was in a phase where his powers were active at all times, leading to an extremely low skin temperature, and water clinging to him.

When he had brushed his teeth that morning, he had been shaking his hands for five minutes, just to get the strings of water which were sticking to his skin, off of his hands.

Harry also appeared to have an Animagus form. He would probably ask Snape if he could use his Advanced Potions class to brew the necessary potions. Thanks to his advanced Occlumency training, he had already located his animal. He just needed a potion to free it from the black fog it was covered by.

And finally, Harry was a Parseltongue. Having read up on the magical ability, he was pretty sure he wouldn't let anybody know about it. Apparently, Parseltongue was an ability intensely associated with Dark wizards.

Other than studying, there had also been his letters. Both Draco and Neville had kept up a steady letter exchange with Harry. Neville had even suggested meeting up at Diagon Alley to do their shopping together.

Harry had already done his shopping though, so he had declined Neville's offer.

Draco had been really busy practicing for Quidditch. He wanted to become the new Seeker for Slytherin. He had also sent Harry two more low level books, the curses in them were pretty low level, but they weren't commonly known, and they weren't exactly Light either.

In exchange, Harry had given Draco more examples as to why blood had nothing to do with supremacy. Using Ron Weasley, himself, Max and Crabbe and Goyle as prime examples.

Neville had managed to complete all first year spells using his new wand. Harry didn't know the specifics, but at least it worked much better for Neville than his old one ever did.

All in all, Harry was pretty satisfied with his summer. His only problem was finding a way to keep doing some muscle building sport at Hogwarts.

He'd probably figure something out at some point, but Harry couldn't help but feel, that the longer he waited, the more time he lost.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry was once again one of the earliest people to arrive at Platform Nina and Three Quarters. He didn't care though. He simply boarded the train, and used his wand to levitate his trunk.

It sure felt great to be able to freely use magic once more.

Harry had settled down into his compartment, and he was calmly enjoying his book, when he noticed Neville had just entered the Platform.

Sighing, Harry put a bookmark in his book, and put it away. Knowing Neville, the boy would be feeling the need to have some kind of conversation with Harry.

A couple of minutes later, Harry's compartment door opened. Neville poked his head in.

"Hi Harry! Mind if I join you?" Neville asked with a huge smile. Apparently, the new wand had not only helped his magical ability.

"Sure thing Neville." Harry simply replied.

After Neville had sat down, he immediately started the conversation again.

"Did you hear about Lockhart?" At Harry's raised left eyebrow, Neville elaborated.

"He's the new DADA teacher. He was signing books in Diagon Alley, when the Max, his parents, the Weasleys and Hermione showed up. And then, well you can basically picture it. Max saw cameras and Lockhart saw a chance at more fame so they started taking shots of them shaking hands and stuff like that. And then Lockhart announced he would be the DADA teacher." Neville excitedly explained.

"Neville, I have read two of his books, the one about trolls, and the one about banshees, and I found 4 impossibilities were in one book, he claimed he was doing this, and in the other one, he was doing something completely different. Lockhart is a fraud." Harry calmly responded.

Neville wanted to argue, but knowing Harry, he had spoken the truth, so he simply pulled out the books in question, and started scanning them.

They had been driving for a few hours, when Draco showed up.

"Harry, Neville, mind if I join you for a minute, Pansy is annoying me." Draco calmly said, but from the light twitching of his eyebrow, Harry could easily deduce Draco was just seconds away from hexing the silly girl.

"Of course. Sit down, pull the curtains. It is not in my interests to be seen interacting with you. As you fully well know." Harry calmly instructed. He was about to turn back to his book, when Draco started another discussion about Lockhart.

Harry was only half listening, simply stating Lockhart to be a fraud, and returning to his book, but Draco and Neville appeared to have an interesting debate.

In the end, they pulled out more of Lockhart's books, and they looked for more mistakes.

Eventually, just as the train started to slow down, Neville spoke up,

"DADA will be self-study this year."

Sighing, the boys stood up and left for the carriages. Of course, only Draco and Neville sighed. Sighing was below Harry after all.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

It was Harry's first DADA class of the year. Draco and Neville had already had theirs. Lockhart had let loose some Cornish Pixies, causing the wrecking of the class, and leaving Max, Weasel, Beaver and Owens stuck with cleanup duty.

Harry was honestly hoping for a repeat of that class. He might be able to sneak off to the library.

Unfortunately, it was not to be. Lockhart announced he would be re-enacting some scenes from his books. When Harry saw Lockhart's eyes scanning the room, he immediately cast the only notice-me-not-charm he knew. If Harry was lucky, Lockhart didn't know what he looked like, and Harry would be able to dodge the proverbial bullet.

Indeed, after a disappointed sigh, Lockhart chose the unfortunate Ernie MacMillan to fulfill the role of a hag.

Harry silently swore he would never enter the same room as Lockhart ever again, without having the incantation for a notice-me-not-charm on his lips.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry was walking towards Snape's office, for his first Advanced Potions lesson. After a polite knock, and a curt '_Enter'_ Harry walked in.

"Sit down, Potter." Snape had clearly regained some of his dislike for Harry over the summer.

"Now then, seeing as you claimed last summer you knew of ways to improve recipes, I have prepared a little test." Having said all he had to say, Snape simply waved his wand, and a paper appeared in front of Harry.

An hour later, Harry was finally able to put down his quill. Snape immediately snatched the test away.

"Hmm, this appears to be satisfactory, same time next week for a DADA class, Mr. Potter" Snape calmly said, before moving back to his desk.

That was honestly the most difficult thing Harry had been subjected to at Hogwarts thus far. He could honestly say he looked forward to his next meeting with Snape.

His first meeting of the year with Flitwick had been spent going over _Undetectable magic uncovered_, and the abilities Harry had which were mentioned in it.

Flitwick had told Harry he had already suspected the elemental part. And considering his lineage, the Animagus form was not a great surprise either.

But the Parseltongue had surprised Flitwick, and he had agreed that it should be kept silent. Parseltongue had become almost a synonym for Dark Wizard, ever since Voldemort's first reign.

Harry's first meeting with McGonnagal had been a very nice surprise. She had immediately smelled an animal scent on Harry, and she had kept bugging him until he had confessed to his attempts at becoming an Animagus.

She had simply handed Harry a potion at the end of their lesson.

"I would suggest you take this on Friday night, before going to sleep Mr. Potter. I believe you know what this potion is. Good night."

The potion was the Animagus Potion. Once Harry took it, his body and mind would be prepared and opened for the change. This would take approximately 8 hours. After that, it was simply a matter of trying, and not giving up until he had managed his Animagus transformation.

After having satisfied himself with the quality of the potion, Harry took the correct dose, before laying down in bed and closing his eyes. He normally never slept for eight hours, but as the process of preparing could be quite confusing, he really hoped he would manage to do so tonight.

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><p><strong>So, that's Chapter 6, do remember to review please.<strong>

**Also, I imagine some people claiming it****'s way to early for Harry to start Animagus training. However, the Marauders took 3 years. Which was probably at least in large part because of Wormtail. They had to do so twenty years ago, I imagine there have been some discoveries in the field of potions since then. They did it without help, and they had to brew the potion on their own. They did not have any prior training in the Mind Arts. Harry is already a low-level Occlumens, and he knows the theory behind Leggillimency. Thanks for reading, and do please leave a review, **

**signing out,**

**Peeves' best friend**


	7. Let the hunt begin!

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

**Hello again, Chapter 8 already. Longest chapter yet, if you include this ridiculous sentence, and the rest of both Disclaimer and AN, it makes four thousand words! And by adding this one, the story is more than 20,000! WOOT! It spans over the longest amount of time yet as well. This has been my last free day of vacation, so after this, updates will be way slower. I'd like to thank everybody for their reviews, favorites, alerts and hits. It's what makes writing worthwhile. I didn't really have much to write about during Harry's second year. Basically, he just continued in the same trend as first year. And as repeating gets boring, I've just sped through this year as fast as possible. Now then, hopefully you'll be able to enjoy the chapter, and please do consider leaving a useful review on your way out.**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

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><p>When Harry got up the next morning, he immediately started meditating, to finally find out what his animal was. When he finally cleared up the last of the black fog, 2 hours later, Harry was surprised, and that was putting it mildly. In front of him, was a big, and strong cage.<p>

Harry hardly cared about that though. No, the thing that surprised Harry, was the wolf inside the cage. Harry immediately recognized the wolf as an Arctic Wolf. But that wasn't the surprising part either.

It was too ruddy big! Normal Arctic wolves measured between 3 and 6 feet, tail included. This one was 6 feet, not counting the tail. It had blue irises, although this was not extremely rare, as there had been blue-eyed Arctic Wolves before, it was still something of an exception.

The coloring was more normal. A clear, white fur, slightly darkening towards the middle of the wolf's back.

Harry had been staring at the wolf for five minutes, before he regained his composure.

"So, I'm an Alpha... Surprising." He quietly mumbled. Harry tried to simply break the cage. When that failed, he tried conjuring a mental saw to break in. That failed as well.

"Great... This will take a while." Harry did as he was supposed to do according to the book. Focus with all his might on making the cage disappear.

Bar by ruddy bar.

When Harry pulled out of his mind, 3 hours later, he had only just managed to put a slight dent in the bar he had been focusing on.

This would take a year! At the very least!

Slightly frustrated, Harry got up and went down to the Great Hall for a late breakfast.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Halloween. One year ago, the damned troll incident had taken place. And apparently, Halloween just wasn't meant to be a regular day.

Harry had been on his way back to the common room after dinner, when he had found an enormous group of students blocking his path.

Using his notice-me-not-charm, Harry quietly slipped to the front. Arriving there, he rapidly analyzed the situation.

Max, Weasel, Granger and Owens were standing in a puddle of water. Mrs. Norris was hanging from a bracket on the wall. She seemed to be frozen in movement. Not dead though, she would have fallen from the bracket if she had simply been petrified. No, her muscles seemed to have simply paused in full movement. And she had maintained that position ever since.

On the wall, written in blood, was a message about the Chamber of Secrets.

Harry saw Draco about to open his mouth and yell something. Thinking fast, he used another notice-me-not-charm. This one on Draco. And he hastily clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Draco, don't. If you make a dumb remark right now, Potter and friends will think you did it. You don't want them spying on you. That would be enervating. So keep it shut. I'm dropping my charm."

Doing as he said, Harry expectantly turned to Draco. After looking pensive for a few seconds, the boy gave a curt nod, and turned back to the front.

In the meantime, Filch had arrived. Immediately jumping to the wrong conclusion, he was making a scene about Max having killed his cat.

Dumbledore showed up and had everyone leave. Apart from Max and his friends. Deciding not to test his charm against somebody with way to much experience. Harry simply turned and left along with the crowd. Quietly considering everything he knew about the last time the Chamber had been opened.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

It had been three days since Mrs. Norris petrification, Dumbledore had let that tidbit of information slip, and Harry had found a way to excercise. In the end it had been pretty simple. He had simply used an age old Ravenclaw motto.

'_When in doubt, talk to Flitwick!'_, Flitwick had suggested trying to get on the Quidditch team. At first, Harry had dismissed the thought, due to too much attention. But after due consideration, Harry had found a way to get on the team, without drawing attention. He simply had to be picked as a reserve! That way, he would be able to participate in all the training the team underwent.

Having easily made it onto the reserve squad as a Chaser, Harry would be able to train his muscles by throwing a heavy ball over long distances, and he would have another excuse to build up his fitness by running during practice.

The only thing he had to do now, was make sure that he wouldn't need to fill in. So he simply botched up a play every now and then during practice, making sure that he would not be the first pick if one of the main Chasers fell out for some reason.

And Harry had to admit. He actually found great joy in playing Quidditch. Up to the point where he actually regretted having to hold back. As much fun as a match would be, he could not afford the attention.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Hmm... Another person had been petrified. Max had landed in the hospital wing before, after getting pummeled into a bloody paste by a Bludger. Draco had been ridiculously happy about it. Max had been hit in his arm and had immediately plummeted to the ground. Clearly unable to cope with the pain.

Draco had been able to catch the Snitch without any trouble after that.

That was besides the point though. Apparently, Colin Creevey, a boy who had been noted into Harry's files as _Worships BWL, ridiculously excitable, Muggleborn,_ had been planning on visiting Max in the hospital wing. He had only gotten halfway though, before being petrified by the still unknown assailant. The boy had apparently tried to photograph his assailant, but he had reportedly failed.

Harry was trying to figure out who or what could petrify opponents, and move through Hogwarts without being noticed. He had considered Lockhart, seeing as his unknowing personality and his books might be a clever ruse. But had dismissed the idea after using his first ever Leggilimency on the buffoon, only discovering that the man was indeed a fraud, who appeared to have a knack for memory charms.

Harry would have to keep that in mind.

Unfortunately, Harry wouldn't be able to reach any decisive conclusion without more intel.

He'd just have to wait, like the rest of the school.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

A Dueling Club? Seriously?

Harry had almost immediately made the link to Lockhart. So going would be a waste of time. However, there was still the possibility that he might find out something useful about the strengths and weaknesses of the other students. He'd probably sneak in under another notice-me-not-charm.

He'd gotten really good at them as well. He had actually found a way to combine a notice-me-not-charm and a disillusionment spell, into one spell. It was exactly easy, and the wand movement took some time, but it was well worth it in this case.

.

.

.

So, that was interesting. Apparently, Max was not a Parseltongue as Harry was.

Draco had conjured a snake (Pretty impressive really, Draco had been a good choice as a potential ally,) to attack Max during their presentation duel.

When the snake had turned to Finch-Fletchley, Max had quite childishly yelled at it to stop. Not paying him any mind, the snake had tried to strike Fletchley, only to be stopped by a well placed cutting charm from Snape.

Having abused the temporary distraction to take a glimpse behind Snape's Occlumency shields, Harry had discovered the spell to be called Sectumsempra. And the results could only be healed by a very specific countercurse. Harry had noted the spell in his files as _potentially lethal, should remain secret. _

Other than that, Harry had also picked up on a few students who were dormant elementals, and one awakening elemental, who might form a problem at some point, if he/she did not learn to control it. Harry might have to go to Flitwick with that particular tidbit of information.

Unfortunately, Harry hadn't been able to pinpoint the awakening one, he/she had been in a battling cluster of second years. Max and his Gryffindors had been involved, as well as Draco and some other Slytherins. There had even been two Ravenclaws who had been randomly throwing hexes at both of the opposing groups.

By the time the cluster had been cleared out enough, nobody had been firing spells any longer, and Harry's spell didn't work without active magic to leach from. Harry was sure it wasn't Max or Draco though. He had had plenty of opportunity to test them later.

Max had come back as a negative, and Draco might be a dormant one, but that was always difficult to tell.

Harry was sure Neville was one though. His ability wasn't exactly dormant, it was simply passive. Showing itself in his great ability in Herbology, Harry was pretty sure Neville had the potential to become an active earth elemental. He'd have to see about teaching Neville during the next summer.

Unfortunately, he had not been able to gather any other clues as to the potential heir.

He had seen a few students with a very large library of spells though. There had even been a Hufflepuff fourth year, who had used a spell that made his opponent's watch spit gears at him. Impressive spell, that one.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry had it! He knew exactly what had been petrifying students!

Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick had been petrified a month or so ago. But now, Harry had gotten his conclusive clue! He had seen spiders fleeing the castle in the most bizarre ways.

There was no doubt about it, the monster was a Basilisk! Everything fit. Slytherin was a Parseltongue. Everybody had seen it's deadly stare through a reflective surface, and spiders fled from it!

Harry was briskly walking towards the Quidditch Pitch to speak with Flitwick, Harry didn't run though, that would look foolish. Flitwick would be at the Pitch as Gryffindor was supposed to be facing Hufflepuff right now. And as Flitwick was almost as big a Quidditch nut as McGonnagal, there simply wasn't any other option!

As Harry rounded the last corner however, he got an unexpected surprise, hordes of students were leaving the stadium and were walking back towards the castle.

Clearly, something had happened. Flitwick was walking ahead of the students, rapidly discussing something with professors McGonnagal and Snape. When he spotted Harry moving from the castle, and towards them, Flitwick's eyes sparked with a sudden realization.

Harry immediately connected the dots as Flitwick saw them.

Parseltongue + Smart + Snake + Moving away from location of the most recent attack - Harry is the one opening the Chamber!

Just as Flitwick drew his wand, harry put his hands behind his head and slowly turned his back towards the professors. As Harry could clearly hear Flitwick telling McGonnagal to stall the students, he was hit by a petrificus, a silencer, a disarmer, and a rope spell. The next thing Harry knew was darkness.

When Harry woke up, he was bound in a chair, and Snape and Flitwick were staring pensively at him.

"Did you have to hit me with a stunner? I mean seriously! I surrendered and was completely willing to cooperate!" Harry was mildly frustrated with his current situation, and he wasn't completely able of hiding that.

"I believe, Harry, that you have some explaining to do. You still have some credit, so if you would please tell us if you prefer lowering your Occlumency shields, or taking Veritaserum, well be willing to take that into account." Flitwick calmly replied. With a hint of disappointment.

"Veritaserum please." Harry coolly replied. Having regained his wits, he had to admit to being disappointed that Flitwick didn't think better of him.

"Very well, open up, Mr. Potter." Snape strode forward.

As Harry did as instructed, he felt three drops of cool liquid hit his tongue. A haze descended over his mind.

"What is your name?" Snape asked. He had been chosen as questioner, apparently.

"Harry James Potter."

"Where do you live?"

"Private Drive 4, Little Whinging, Surrey."

"Are you Slytherin's heir?"

"Not as far as I am aware." Harry decided not to fight the potion, and simply be as truthful as he could. The potion's effect receded somewhat, returning control of most of his upper brain functions to Harry.

'_Note to self, if Veritaserum detects willingness to cooperate, effect weakens'_

"Did you open the Chamber of Secrets?"

"No, I might have a clue as to its whereabouts though."

"Are you in any way responsible for the attacks on students?"

"Only by not solving the puzzle any sooner."

"Are you saying that you figured out what's happening?"

"Yes, and I would be very pleased to discuss it, once you give me the blasted antidote and release me!" The effects of the potion had receded up to the point where Harry could insert his opinion again.

Instead of reacting, Snape simply tilted back Harry's head and fed Harry another potion.

The moment Harry's eyes cleared up, he started talking.

"It's a Basilisk. Nobody's died because they all saw it's stare through a reflective surface. Water, Camera, Ghost and Nick was already dead of course." Before Harry could continue, Snape interrupted.

"And Granger and Clearwater had that hand mirror than." He softly interjected.

Harry didn't have a difficult time figuring out what Snape meant.

"So, that's the reason the match was cancelled. Anyways, it's just more proof. The Basilisk would move, using the sewers. And when the Chamber was opened, fifty years ago, somebody died in a bathroom. I haven't had time to verify it yet, but I'm pretty sure that student did not move on, and is still in that bathroom. That would be Moaning Myrtle. So if you'd please be so kind as to untie me, you go and talk to Dumbledore, leaving out my involvement. And I'll go and have a talk with Miss Myrtle." Harry finished his explanation, and looked coldly at Snape, until he was finally untied.

Harry got up and started moving towards the door. Just before he left, he said one more thing.

"Although I'm flattered you see me as capable of controlling a mythical monster, the lack of trust is everything but flattering. You are forgiven, you were just concerned for your students after all, but this is not forgotten." Harry coolly informed his professors, without turning back. They had actually managed to hurt him.

He'd be damned before he showed that though, and he simply kept moving.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

"Miss Myrtle? Are you here?" Harry asked, walking into one of the few places in the school, he hadn't visited before.

"You aren't a girl!" Myrtle came zooming out of a cabin.

"I am fully aware of that Miss Myrtle, however, I am researching the Chamber of Secrets and the clues have led me to you. Could I please be allowed to ask you how you died?" Harry calmly asked, with a slightly flirting tone.

He could barely forgive himself for it, but he really needed this information. And Myrtle seemed the type who would do anything for a compliment.

"Ooh it was absolutely dreadful you know," Myrtle's entire demeanor changed to a much more happy and excited attitude, "You see, I was sitting in that toilet, right over there, Olive Hornby had been mocking me for my glasses you see. When all of a sudden, I heard a boy, hissing something. But this is a girls bathroom, so I opened the door and was about to tell him off, when I looked to the sinks though, I saw a big pair of yellow eyes. And then I died." Myrtle finished her story, with a hopeful look at Harry, clearly hoping for praise or compassion.

"Wow, that's terrible! And you're able to just talk about it like that! That's really impressive! Now, do you happen to know which boy was hissing? Do you know his name? How he looked?" Harry managed to hide his excitement, and he made sure to seem slightly vengeful, as though he were thinking about avenging Myrtle. The ghost stepped into it with her eyes wide open.

"I do know that! He was a Slytherin. Riddle something. Tall, handsome, black hair, blue eyes. Why? You aren't thinking about tracking him down... Are you?" The girl flirtingly fluttered her eyebrows.

"Something of the kind... Do you know who has been opening the Chamber this time?"

"Of course I know that! Her name's Ginny Weasley. She looks like a first year to me. Glaring red hair as well. She's always carrying a diary to. And she has this glazed look in her eyes whenever she comes here." Myrtle happily explained.

Having exhausted all of his questions, Harry simply turned to the sinks and started examining them. He fired of a messenger spell to Flitwick as well. Informing him that he was still looking for the entrance, but that Ginny Weasley was the culprit, and she seemed to be possessed by some kind of diary.

Knowing that Flitwick and the other professors would be occupied for some time, Harry continued his examination of the sinks.

He found one tap which had a little snake carved into it.

Knowing that the professors would be occupied for the moment, Harry thought he would never get such a good chance at seeing the Chamber of Secrets again.

"**Open"**, Having practiced on his Parseltongue during the summer, Harry easily made the transition, and after casting as strong a cleaning charm as he could, he created an ice platform, to calmly descend through the opening.

Having arrived at the bottom, Harry reformed the platform into an easy to wield shield, which he placed on his left arm, simultaneously wielding his wand in his right hand.

Continuing through the tunnel, Harry kept casting cleaning charms left and right. He didn't feel like getting dirty if he could so easily avoid it.

Arriving at another door, Harry simply repeated his previous command, leading him into an enormous chamber. The sides were lined with statues of snakes. All kinds of different species as well. The further you moved into the Chamber, the deadlier the species that were depicted.

The opposite side of the Chamber was dominated by the enormous statue of what was quite clearly Slytherin's face, covering the entire wall.

"Hmm. Never took Slytherin for a narcissist." Harry muttered.

Scanning the sides of the room, Harry spotted an opening into the school sewers. Other than that, there appeared to be no other openings. However...

Harry moved closer to the statue. Something about it wasn't right.

"Let's see. If I were a narcissistic old guy with an extreme superiority complex, what would I use?"

"**Open Slytherin! One of pure blood demands entry!"** Nothing happened.

"**Arise Salazar! The time to purge this world has come!"** Nothing...

After another 12 tries, Harry decide to try three more times.

"**Speak to me Slytherin! Greatest of the Hogwarts Four!"** Harry was thinking of a new one, when he heard a rumbling sound.

Immediately preparing for the inevitable confrontation, Harry created as many ice shards as he could. Some were thick, and some were thin, but they were all ridiculously sharp, and Harry cooled them as strongly as he could. To strengthen them as much as possible. By the time he stopped, he was pretty much spent. If this didn't work, he'd be pretty much fucked.

The second Slytherin's mouth stopped moving, a hissing sound came from within the statue's mouth.

Harry immediately bombarded the hole with shards, and was rewarded with a bizarre combination of a shriek, a roar and a strangled hiss. Harry kept pelting the hole with shards though. After five full minutes, Harry paused. Thinking logically, he used a system of multiple ice mirrors to view into the hole.

Before he felt it safe to look though, Harry placed at least ten mirrors, all meticulously placed in specific angles, and then he used a Lumos Maxima, looking at the mirror closest to him. Harry could barely recognize the Basilisk for what it was supposed to be. There was ice everywhere. And a disappointing number of shards had actually managed to pierce the Basilisk.

It's roar had been its undoing though. Multiple shards had flown into the unprotected insides of the snake, and had clearly inflicted a terrible amount of damage. Both eyes had been destroyed as well.

Deciding that he had done all he could, an absolutely exhausted Harry, turned back and headed for the exit.

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><p><strong>Oof, that's Chapter 8. I actually had to look up a summary of the real year 2, to get the chronology right. Other than what's mentioned in the chapter, everything just continued in the same vein as first year. Including befriending Draco and Neville, Advanced classes, avoiding the spotlight, and training and studying.<strong>

**Also, in the Duelling Club part, I made a slight reference to something Barty Crouch Junior said about a Hogwarts student in Book/Movie 4. I wonder if anybody figures it out? I'll be putting the answer in Chapter 10's Disclaimer or AN probably.  
><strong>

**I really hope you all enjoyed, and please, do leave a review. It's the only way to improve. I might have ignored quite a few people who asked for a Harry/Daphne, but I actually had a good reason for that. And who knows? I already have a new story planned, which I won't be writing until this one is done or dead of course. But that one will probably be Harry/Daphne. **

**Signing out,**

**Peeves' best friend  
><strong>


	8. Cause I don't feel like fencing

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

**Another Chapter. This is really going to be the last one at my current updating speed. School starts in 32 hours, and I'll be spending my last free day with my family as I'll be turning 18 in 47 hours and 25 minutes. So, the aftermath of the Chamber episode. I hope you'll all enjoy, and please take note that Dumbledore is expecting Harry to be an average student. He does not see the reason to look for defenses, so I DO find it plausible that Harry manages to do, what he manages to do. Enjoy the chapter, and please, do leave a review. I need to know how to improve and what y'all think. Also, be sure to read the AN as I need some opinions on something.**

**DISCLAIMER: ****I DO NOT OWN HARRY P****OTTER**

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><p>Quietly closing the entrance to the Chamber down, Harry paused. How was he supposed to explain this? Dumbledore would know about the Chamber by now, and they were probably still taking care of everything with Miss Weasley, but in the end, Harry would have some explaining to do...<p>

Unless...

"Myrtle! The basilisk has been slain! I have avenged your death! Oh gods I'm so relieved!" Harry decided to go with dramatic. He needed the girl ghost willing to help him.

"Really? That's great! Can I see it?" Myrtle seemed really pleased.

"You could, but there are wards on the walls, so the only way you could enter would be by using the human entrance. And you don't speak Parseltongue. I'd be willing to teach you the command you need, but I want something in exchange." Harry calmly and smoothly explained.

"If I teach you the password, you will tell everybody that I simply talked to you, and examined the sinks I do not speak Parseltongue, nor did I teach it to you. You learned it by hearing Miss Weasley say it. All right?"

"Yes, that's fine, now teach me!" Myrtle was anxious to learn, Harry wasn't done though.

"You will not tell anybody that I killed the Basilisk and when asked, you will tell everybody you thought it was still alive. Am I making myself clear? Also, you will not go down there yet. You will wait for the professors to arrive, they will be looking for a way to enter. You will offer them your services, and only then will you head down there. Agreed?" Harry icily looked her in the eyes. Impressing on the foolish ghost that he was bloody serious.

"Okay, I promise, now can you please teach me?"

"Fine, repeat after me..." Harry spoke.

After having taught Myrtle the necessary password, Harry sent Flitwick another messenger spell, asking him where he had to meet him. Harry simply had too much to tell Flitwick to keep using messenger spells. Harry was spent as it was. Flitwick gave Harry the directions and the password to Dumbledore's office.

Knowing he would be facing Dumbledore, Harry immediately fabricated a slew of false memories, and randomly planted them in front of his defenses, at the same time pulling a dense bank of fog in front of his actual mind, so Dumbledore would encounter a seemingly undefended mind, when the inevitable interrogation took place, concerning Harry and his discoveries.

Walking up the stairs, Harry didn't bother with knocking, knowing that they were expecting him.

Apparently, some people took offense to that.

"Young man! Who do you think you are! You cannot simply walk into the Headmaster's office as if you live here! You should have knocked at the very least! Honestly!" Some unknown, pudgy woman with red hair spoke.

Scanning the office, Harry noticed Ginny Weasley, an unknown man with red hair, Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Filius Flitwick and Minerva McGonnagal were all present as well.

Harry simply ignored the woman, knowing it would be the perfect response. Hopefully, she would make an even bigger fool of herself.

"Professor Flitwick, sir, I have spoken to Myrtle and I have _successfully_ located the entrance to the Chamber." Harry deliberately to put a little more force in the successfully, to embarrass the woman even further.

"It seems my information on Miss Weasley was correct?" Harry continued, not letting anybody interfere.

"Yes Mr. Potter, you were indeed correct about Miss Weasley being possessed and forced into opening the Chamber. This diary," Flitwick picked a simple, if rather old looking, diary off of Dumbledore's desk and showed it to Harry. "When Miss Weasley wrote in it, a spirit by the name of Tom Riddle wrote back, slowly possessing Miss Weasley."

Harry was impressed. He took the diary from Flitwick. Before anybody could stop him, he stole a quill and an ink pot from Dumbledore's desk, and wrote one simple line.

"_**Greetings Milord, I live to serve you, the greatest Dark Lord to ever walk the face of the Earth. Command me, Lord Voldemort"**_

Harry immediately put everything back in his rightful place, and threw the diary onto the desk.

Whilst the woman, who Harry presumed to be Ginny's mother, let out a horrified gasp, and pulled her wand at Harry, and Ginny simply fainted, the others all lent forward to see the response.

"_**Ah, a follower! Excellent, tell me, who are you and how did you manage to retrieve my diary? If you are worthy, I shall let you aid me in my return to a physical form!"**_

Everybody reacted differently. Dumbledore simply scooped up the diary and locked it in his desk. The others all went through varying expressions of shock.

Harry simply mumbled "Well, that's interesting."

After Dumbledore had managed to calm everyone down, he looked straight at Harry.

"Mr. Potter, would you please care to explain exactly _how_ you made the connection between Tom Riddle and Voldemort. How you figured out the creature was a Basilisk, and how you managed to follow the trail back to Miss Myrtle."

Harry firmly locked the false memories in place.

"Well sir, I was of course, as intrigued as any other student when the first petrification took place. The connection between Riddle and You-Know-Who (Harry didn't fear the name, but this was a subtle way to make him seem normal,) was actually easily made. Riddle was around during the first opening of the chamber. He was involved during the first opening. A few years after he finished school, Voldemort popped up for the first time. Riddle was known for his great magical talent. And we all know the only one who surpasses You-Know-Who is sitting in this room. (Flattery always works!) It was just a guess, but I wanted to make sure." At this point, a calmly speaking Harry felt Dumbledore intrude. Not expecting a mind with any defenses, Dumbledore took the memories he saw at face value.

Ignoring the fact that Dumbledore already knew everything he still had to say, and being certain that Dumbledore would see him as nothing more than somebody who had gotten lucky, Harry continued.

"I made the connection with a Basilisk through a combination of things. Slytherin was a known Parseltongue, so his monster would logically be a snake. As it would be easy to control. I started searching for snakes with the power to petrify. I wasn't having any success, until Fletchley got petrified. After asking around, I figured out that he had been looking through Nick at the time of his petrification. I made the connection with the headlights of a car through a bank of fog, and started considering that maybe the creature's weapon had been toned down. To fit that idea, the creature's weapons would have to be its eyes. After doing a little more research, I ended up with a Basilisk."

Harry decided he was making a too intelligent impression, so he decided to dumb it down a bit.

"And I'm sorry sir, I forgot what your third question was. Could you please repeat it, sir?"

"Of course, my boy. I asked you how you made the connection with Miss Myrtle. Although I actually think I have a pretty good idea. If I may?" Dumbledore ended questioningly, quirking his left eyebrow a little bit.

Apparently Harry and Dumbledore had that in common at least.

Harry know also knew at least one method Dumbledore used to seem so all knowing. Leggilimens your conversation partner, and you'll be able to process everything whilst their still explaining, and you'll have time to come up with a clever response! Harry would have to remember that incase he got forced into the spotlight at some point in his life.

"Naturally, sir." Harry quietly mumbled, trying to act nervous, as if he had only just realized who he was talking to.

"Once you figured out exactly when the Basilisk had been let loose before, you started researching everything you could find about that time period. You read about Myrtle's death at some point, yet you discarded as useless. But when you realized that the Basilisk had been using the sewers to move around, you remembered something about somebody dying in a bathroom. The rest was simply a matter of putting everything in place." Dumbledore knowledgably finished. Expectantly lifting both eyebrows a little bit.

"Wow! It's true what they say about you sir! You really do know everything!" Harry thought that impressed shock would be the most common reaction, so he decided to go with it.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter. Now than, before the professors and I head down to Myrtle's bathroom, to see about taking care of that Basilisk ourselves, I believe some points are in order. How do a hundred points and an award for special services to the school sound, Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore turned to Harry, honestly wondering what the boy would answer.

"I'd be honored! But sir, about that award, ..." Harry hesitantly spoke. Harry knew exactly what he wanted, but he had to come across as humble and polite.

'_Ah, here it comes. The boy wants more. He'll probably demand an Order of Merlin!'_ Dumbledore had hoped the boy to be more noble, but then again. The boy was a Ravenclaw. Not a Gryffindor.

"Well, you see, the thing is ..., the award, could you please not place it in the trophy room until after I have left Hogwarts? The moment somebody has a detention with Filch, I'll be swamped with questions! I like quiet and books. Not the noise and attention of the public." Harry brought it forth hesitantly, deeply hoping he hadn't overplayed his hand.

"I believe that would be no problem at all. Now then, Arthur, Molly, I believe it would be best if young Ginevra were to visit the Hospital Wing. She's had a couple of rough months. Minerva, would you be so kind as to accompany them?" At McGonnagal's affirmative nod, Dumbledore continued.

"Excellent. Well then, Filius, Severus, would you be so kind as to accompany me to the second floor bathroom?" At another pair of nods, Dumbledore turned to Harry. "Mr. Potter, perhaps it would be best if you were to head to you common room as well. You look absolutely knackered, if I do say so myself. I will be making an announcement at dinner, informing everybody of the Chamber's closure. I will not speak of your involvement. I would suggest you do likewise and do not speak of anything which has transpired here today to anybody. I am pretty sure Miss Weasley would appreciate that as well." Dumbledore finished. The legendary twinkle in his eyes was at full force.

"Of course sir, thank you sir. Oh and sirs, kill the filthy beast please. Now that I know what's slithering through the pipes, I really want it dead." Harry told them, careful to inject just the right amount of fear in his voice.

That having been said, and with both Dumbledore and Flitwick chuckling, Harry left the office. A very soft bed with some very strong silencing charms was awaiting him. And he needed it, he only just made it on to his bed before collapsing, utterly exhausted, the still only 12 year old boy, immediately fell asleep.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

"...And therefore, for the second consecutive year, I am proud to present the House Cup to ... RAVENCLAW!"

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry was sitting on the train, moving back to King's Cross. Draco and Neville were on the train as well, and Harry was constantly being reminded of it as well.

"Oh come on Harry! We know you know something! All of a sudden, Ravenclaw has earned a hundred points, and Dumbledore's announcing the Chamber's been closed! You have to know something!" It was Draco this time. The boys had been nagging him for the past three hours.

After having denied not just once, but twice, that he knew something, Harry had withdrawn into himself and he was currently improving his Occlumency. Where there had once been a simple brick room, was now a partially finished Hogwarts. No grounds or anything, but the castle was already half finished.

Still, the fact that Harry had been forced to deny twice, instead of just once, was a testament to the tenacity of both Draco and Neville. And this train ride would be taking another five hours!

Lord have mercy, because if the boys kept this up...

Harry might just lose his temper!

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><p><strong>Okay, so this is my issue. I'm on the fence about Dumbledore. I really like him, and no matter what, I always feel bad when he's being bashed, or people point out his flaws. I'm seriously considering getting Dumbledore into Team Harry. I'd like some opinions on that. Check my profile for a poll, and if you leave a review, put your opinion on old Dumbles in it as well.<strong>

**Signing of,**

**Peeves' best friend  
><strong>


	9. Eye of the wolf

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

**I actually managed to write another chapter. I have more free time than I thought :p. So, Chapter 9. Pretty short, but I decided I needed to get away from canon for a bit. Harry is still very youn, but seeing as he is pretty much a prodigy, I do see it happening. Marauders did it, with everything that was distracting them. Harry does it, without the distraction, with better means, and he is more talented. Now then, thanks for all the reviews, favorites and alerts.**

**Please enjoy another chapter of HPatEC,**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

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><p>Harry was in a familiar place. Looking at a cage. The cage looked heavily damaged though! All of its bars had been weakened to the point where one hard hit, would knock the top half off. But that wouldn't have been a problem, had there not been a big, white wolf with a slightly darker back, in the cage!<p>

Of course, Harry was not really in front of a cage. No, he was in his mind, in front of a cage. The real Harry, was in the Dursleys' backyard... In a cage.

Harry knew how dangerous the first transformation could be. He would transform, the moment the wolf got out of the cage. But he wouldn't be in control, until he had subdued the wolf, and it had accepted him as its master.

So, he had explained everything to Vernon, as detailed as possible. Vernon had been hard to convince, until Harry mentioned the burglars that had been terrorizing Surrey lately.

It had gone like this,

"You know Uncle Vernon... Wolves have really sensitive noses."

"And? I do not see how that changes you wanting to transform into a wild beast in our backyard!"

"Well... If I were to sniff around at the places where the burglars have been... I could warn you, the moment I pick up a suspect smell!"

It had been too easy after that. Despite everything, Vernon Dursley just cared to much about his possessions.

So here Harry was. Slowly forming a mental sledgehammer, to bash the cage top off clean.

Swinging, Harry saw the wolf tensing its muscles to jump out of the cage the moment Harry knocked the top off. Knowing he would be vulnerable for a short amount of time, Harry did the only thing possible. He let the hammer fly from his grasp, so it would fly into the cage's bars, and he rapidly got into a stance, prepared to grapple with the wolf.

As the hammer smashed against the bars, you could hear them snapping, almost simultaneously. A few bars on the other side of the cage held, but because of the sheer force of Harry's throw, the front part simply flew upwards, until the last bars standing couldn't handle the pressure any longer, and snapped as well.

The wolf flew out, the second the opening was large enough. The jump had been perfectly measured.

Harry was no slouch either though. Seeing a wolf of something around 175 pounds, flying at him. Harry simply rolled back, grabbing its head in his hands, and planting his feet in its stomach.

They rolled over again. Harry on top. Before he could immobilize the wolf though, it managed to free its head, and snapped at Harry. Harry reflexively pulled back. Enough for the wolf to throw Harry off, and regain its footing.

Harry scrambled up as well. Thinking fast, Harry created a mental net to throw over the wolf.

As it charged at him, Harry nimbly sidestepped and threw his net.

He hit it, but knowing that he had little time before it could get free, Harry immediately jumped onto the wolf and pinned it down.

Making nooses come up from the ground to tie its paws down, Harry only just managed to tie the wolf down, before the net was completely demolished.

Sinking down on the ground the second he was sure it wouldn't get away, Harry caught his breath.

"Well, ... at least he's strong."

Having regained his breath, Harry offered his hand to the wolf's head.

Judging from its reaction, Harry would be able to judge whether or not he had tamed it.

The wolf licked Harry's hand, so Harry immediately dissolved the nooses and ropes, and helped it stand up.

Harry didn't know it, but in the real world, he had just regained his human form. With the slight difference that he would probably have to start shaving at thirteen years old already.

Harry guided the wolf to the forbidden forest, next to his mind Hogwarts. Which by now, was largely finished. The only areas which hadn't been filled in were those Harry had never visited before.

Common Rooms not of Ravenclaw, classrooms for electives, ... stuff like that.

Pulling out of his trance, he opened his eyes to see Dudley on the other side of the cage, applauding.

"You look awesome! You're like, huge!" Dudley exclaimed.

Smiling, Harry got up.

"How about another boxing match Dudley?" Harry asked, guiding his cousin to the smallest bedroom, which had been converted to a boxing ring.

Dudley didn't know that an Animagus form changed a person's human form as well...

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry's holidays had been pretty great so far, he still lost most of his matches to Dudley, but he managed to sneak a few wins in against the heavy hitter.

Harry had kept in contact with Neville and Draco, as he had done the year before.

Neville had been to the Amazon with his Uncle Algie. Algie had deemed it too dangerous for Neville at first. And then Neville saved Algie's life from a poison pill frog, so he'd been forced to eat those words.

Neville claimed he had never seen so many different plants. He had been in heaven.

Draco had been busy studying the not so Light Arts. But he had also discovered that he should have had an elder brother. The boy had been a squib, and Lucius had surrendered him to Voldemort. That had been a week ago, and Harry was actually getting worried about Draco. He hadn't heard anything from him ever since.

Other than that, Harry had finished building his mind Hogwarts, and he was busily placing traps, his favorite was Peeves. He had given the polstergeist the means to place some... _interesting_ pranks.

Also, more than two months had passed since the Chamber, and he still hadn't gotten under any suspicion. Apparently, his note had worked.

-FLASHBACK-

_Deciding that he had done all he could, an absolutely exhausted Harry, turned back and headed for the exit. Only to turn back yet again._

"_Oh yeah, distraction." He mumbled._

_Walking back up to the statue, he placed a note on its upper lip._

"_The sons of Scandinavia have taken their revenge! With the end of Slytherin, so ends our feud."_

_According to legend, Slytherin had used his monster to wipe out almost an entire Viking invasion, which had targeted the regions around Hogwarts. The few survivors had supposedly sworn revenge before fleeing._

_Harry had decided to go with it, as it would fit the ice, and everybody not in the loop, would be clueless as to where he/she should look for the culprit._

_Deciding his tracks were covered, Harry called up some more snow and ice, to cover the floor and the walls of the Chamber. To make it look as if a furious fight had raged throughout the Chamber._

_Once again turning around, Harry turned to leave._

-END OF FLASHBACK-

Yes, if anybody decided to look into it, they'd probably be searching Scandinavia for an ancient army of Vikings. All in all, a pretty good prank if you asked Harry.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Dumbledore sat in his office. The Chamber had been bugging him. He found it hard to believe that actual Vikings had come to fulfill their feud with Slytherin. After so long a time...

Filius had reacted terribly to the beast. He had looked very shocked. And he had mumbled something very interesting...

"But how did he?"

Albus was very interested in who this he might be. He had been wracking his brain for any possible explanation as to how Filius might be involved with somebody capable of so terrible a destruction.

Deciding he would have to speak to Filius again, he let Fawkes deliver a short note to Filius, asking him to see Dumbledore in his office straight away.

When Flitwick arrived in the office, Dumbledore politely offered him a lemon drop. He always did that.

"Filius, ... It has come to my attention, that you might know more about the slayer of the Basilisk. I ask you to tell me what you know," Dumbledore looked at Flitwick over his spectacles, "For the good of the students."

Dumbledore couldn't make an aggressive impression, so he leaned slightly back, to give Flitwick a safe, and relaxed feeling.

"Albus... What you ask of me, would be betrayal of somebody who's trust means very much to me. I didn't know he was this strong already... But I can't really tell you what you want to know. I am certain he will not abuse his strength." Flitwick replied. Dumbledore noticed the slight hesitancy when Filius said 'certain' though.

"Filius... I do not ask this for myself, I ask this for the students. If this person loses control, will you be able to hold him in check? Are you sure you can keep him controlled?"

Dumbledore believed Filius might see himself as to weak to defend the students against somebody, who judging from Flitwick's words, might still be growing stronger. And decided to attack that, using his concerned grandfather approach once more. And to great effect.

"I don't know Albus. I really don't know! I just don't understand how he has grown this strong already! I... I will tell you. Under one condition! You will swear an oath that anything I tell you will not reach any third parties. You can contact him if you want. But all others will remain unknowing, unless he gives you permission!" Flitwick seemed completely serious about this oath. And Albus knew better then to argue.

"Very well, I, Albus Dumbledore, hereby swear that anything Filius Flitwick tells me about the mysterious Basilisk slayer, I shall not speak of to anybody, other than Filius Flitwick and the Basilisk slayer themselves. Unless I have the slayer's express permission. So mote be it." Dumbledore calmly and firmly intoned.

"So mote be it." Flitwick quietly replied. He said only two more words, before leaving the office, and the school, for the remainder of the week.

"Harry Potter"

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry had just boarded the Hogwarts Express, when he spotted an awful looking Draco enter Platform 9 and Three Quarters...

Draco had a bloody nose, his hair was greasy and ungelled, he had a purple eye, and his lip was split. He walked funny as well.

On top of that, Draco was early. Harry was always by far the first person at the station, yet this time, Draco had arrived immediately afterwards.

Harry briskly marched to Draco. His shrunk trunk still in his trousers.

"Is the rest of your body as bad as your face?" It was a weird question, but it was important never the less.

"Yes"

"Very well. Can you Floo?"

"It's how I came here"

"All right. Let's get moving then." Pulling out his emergency Floo powder supply, Harry walked to one of the public fireplaces.

"I don't have enough for two go's. We'll have to go together. Come on."

Slowly helping Draco enter the Floo, Harry stepped in next to him.

"The Three Broomsticks!"

.

.

.

Spinning out of the Floo at the Three Broomsticks, Harry barely managed to keep them both standing.

Quickly blanketting Draco with at least 5 glamours and 3 notice-me-not-charms, Harry placed one of Draco's arms over his shoulder, and started moving towards Hogwarts.

.

.

.

Arriving at the doors, Harry simply threw them open. Only to come face to face with Albus Dumbledore.

"I believe, Mr. Potter, it would be best if I would levitate Mr. Malfoy towards the Hospital Wing." Dumbledore softly spoke. His normally sparkling eyes completely dimmed.

"Please do that. I don't have the fine control, needed to do so without worsening his injuries." Harry responded.

Levitating Draco, Dumbledore briskly started moving towards the Hospital Wing. Deciding it would be best if he stayed close to his reason for being early, Harry followed.

Arriving at the ward, Dumbledore softly opened the doors, and he delicately place Draco on a bed.

"Poppy! I have a patient for you who needs medical attention as soon as possible!" He spoke. Not loud, yet clearly audible throughout the entire hospital wing.

Harry'd have to learn how to do that.

"What is it now? The school year hasn't... Oh my! Mr. Malfoy! Good gracious!" Pomfrey immediately sprung into action. Potions came flying from every direction. And her wand was already zooming over Draco's body.

"I'm going to put you in a dreamless sleep for a while my boy. Don't worry, nothing too long, just for a couple of hours." Pomfrey softly spoke, all the while rapidly moving her wand, and pouring potions down Draco's throat.

"Mr. Potter, would you please come with me whilst Poppy takes care of Mr. Malfoy. I'll need your account of what happened." Dumbledore softly spoke, looking at Harry with his non-twinkling eyes.

"Of course, sir." Harry spoke, softly and clearly. He immediately started placing his fake memories again.

They started moving towards Dumbledore's office.

* * *

><p><strong>So, Harry has become an Animagus, Draco is seriously injured, Neville's a hero. Dumbledore has Harry one-on-one with hours to burn.<strong>

**This ought to be interesting. Also, I feel kind of bad that Neville will have to ride the train on his lonesome. Pretty mean actually.**

**Perhaps he'll befriend somebody else? A certain Hufflepuff who transfigures watches comes to mind.**

**Anyway, please leave a review, leave your opinion and stuff like that.**

**Signing out,**

**Peeves' best friend**

**P.S. If anybody has a fun idea for an Omake, do send me a PM.**


	10. Chess, Canes, Collaborations

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

**CHAPTER 10! Unbelievable! I actually got ten chapters online, and I want to keep going! This is even more fun then I thought! Anyways, thanks for the reviews, alerts, favorites and alerts everybody. They really motivate me into writing more. So, despite what I orginally said, I managed another chapter before school starts again. I'll have to pay for that tommorow morning. Ignoring that, I am proud to present another chapter. The actual POA plotline hasn't begun yet, but I'll get to that. Now then, please enjoy the chapter, and consider leaving a review on your way out. They are the one way to discover plotholes and to improve as a writer. **

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

* * *

><p>"Mr. Potter, do take a seat." Dumbledore said, as he himself took place behind his desk.<p>

"Now then. First, please give an as detailed account as possible of anything you can think off, considering Mr. Malfoy and his injuries. Also clearly state which actions you took to ensure Mr. Malfoy's wellbeing." Dumbledore sadly looked at Harry over his spectacles.

And so Harry spoke. He started with not having received any more letters after Draco told him about his Squib brother. How he had been the only person already at the Platform, when he saw Draco stumble into his sight. How he had swiftly used his emergency Floo powder supply, to get Draco and himself to Hogsmeade. How they had met Dumbledore at the doors. He was allowed to stop there.

"Thank you Mr. Potter. The Aurors will receive your testimony. However, it is still possible that you will be called in to testify at some point. Now then, Mr. Potter, I believe it would be best if Mr. Malfoy would get some time to recover, whilst Madam Pomfrey is still working on him," Dumbledore looked at Harry piercingly, the eyes suddenly stopping their twinkling and turned ice cold.

"Perhaps you would like to do me the pleasure of playing a game of Muggle chess?" Dumbledore coolly suggested. The friendly grandfather was gone. This man terrified Harry. Harry knew he had been had.

"Of course, sir. I prefer Muggle chess over Wizards chess anyway." Harry replied. Not even bothering to bring up a false persona. Harry wasn't willing to risk having Dumbledore attack his mind at full force. Cooperation would be best, he might even save a few secrets that way.

They started their match. Harry was playing as black. Fitting, Dumbledore had the initiative on both board and in reality. After a few minutes, and seven moves, 4 from Dumbledore, and 3 for Harry, Dumbledore spoke.

"Now then, Mr. Potter. It is my belief that you did not tell me what truly happened, concerning the Chamber of Secrets, and your involvement."

"Are you accusing me of something, Professor?" Harry curiously asked, simultaneously moving his bishop, to pin Dumbledore's knight.

"Yes." Dumbledore's reply was curt. And honestly unexpected. Suppressing his shock, Harry simply waited. Having figured out what Dumbledore meant.

"Of not speaking the full truth. I believe you knowingly and willfully misinformed us. To better suit your own needs. I would appreciate it if you were to either come clean, or drop your remarkable mind defenses. The choice is yours. Don't force me to make a decision for you." Dumbledore looked at Harry. Moving his rook, to take out a pawn.

"Why should I professor? I have secrets for a reason. Why would I tell you that which I deliberately kept secret?" Harry spoke. Moving his own rook, to strike at Dumbledore's bishop.

"Because I do not wish to force Filius into giving me any more information. You should know, he only told me anything at all, because he fears he is incapable of keeping you under control. I do hope you won't blame him to terribly for that. Now then... I'm waiting Mr. Potter." Dumbledore moved his knight, Harry was in trouble. On the chessboard at the very least.

"Very well, sir. I will speak under one condition. I will have an oath that you will not speak to any thirds of anything you learn, without my express permission." Harry castled his king, managing to put Dumbledore on the defensive again. His rook had a clean route to Dumbledore's back row.

"Hmm... Can you guarantee that nothing I learn might jeopardize a student?" At Harry's affirmative nod, Dumbledore gave his oath.

As the game continued, and Harry not only lost his temporary advantage, but got systematically destroyed, Harry spoke. He spoke of his Advanced Classes. Of his decision to fly below the student radar. How he had really acted during the Chamber fiasco. Of his powers. His training. How he felt about Voldemort's inevitable return. Just as Harry finished, Harry managed to maneuver his king so Dumbledore would be forced to accept a stalemate, or risk having Harry completely reverse the game.

Dumbledore settled for the stalemate.

After a temporary silence, Dumbledore spoke.

"Taking into account the state of the Basilisk when we found it, I daresay you have become too strong for Filius or Severus to keep you under control, if you were to go all out that is. You will have to sacrifice your Wednesday afternoon, and you will be following special classes with me. From 1 until 4 p.m. I think. Unless you have any objections, Harry? I _am_ allowed to call you Harry, no?"

Dumbledore looked expectantly at Harry.

Not showing exactly how great he thought being taught by Dumbledore would be, Harry kept his face a blank slate.

"I have one condition. This remains between you and me. Other people will NOT be informed, unless you have my express permission. Under that condition, I am perfectly willing to work with you, sir."

Harry spoke with a hint of ice in his voice. One could compare it to a steely tone. Only colder... and far more impressive.

Noting Dumbledore's hesitance, Harry started showing his aura. His eyes started glowing, and his body was covered in an otherworldly glow, a combination of emerald green and icy blue.

'_So young... so much power already! And his control! Were he to have a weakness for sweets, I'd be looking into a mirror!'_ Dumbledore thought.

"Very well. You have an accord." Dumbledore said, sticking his hand out. Looking expectantly at Harry.

Harry grabbed it, and shook it powerfully. Thrice, the perfect number. Once would be to curt, for the relationship Harry hoped to form. It would imply disgust or distrust. Twice wasn't better. It would seem as if Harry was simply trying to avoid beeing seen as disgusted or distrustful. He would seem sneaky on top of that. Four times would be overkill. It would imply clinginess and being overly friendly. Perhaps it would even be seen as idolizing. No, thrice was just right.

"Well then... Young Draco will need another hour or two... How about another game. You can tell me about the exact extent of your powers then." Dumbledore happily proposed.

~~~~ Scene Break~~~~

After another loss, and a stalemate from a game Harry should have won, Harry and Dumbledore headed to the hospital wing. Just in time to see Madam Pomfrey move back to her office.

From the corner of his right eye, Harry saw Dumbledore questioningly lift his left eyebrow. They _really_ had that in common. After gaining Pomfrey's permission, they proceeded to Draco's bed.

"How are you feeling Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore took the word. Harry was content to just sit back and evaluate Draco's condition.

"I'll be fine, professor. Madam Pomfrey says I'll be able to go to the feast. I won't be looking very pretty for the next couple of days, and I'll be limping for at least a month. But I won't miss any classes." Draco replied in calm, clear tones. His lip had been easily fixed. The rest of his face was still a mess though.

Apparently, a body could only repair wounds at a certain speed, even with potions and charms.

Pomfrey had gone for the most important things first. Meaning Draco was still littered with bruises and cuts. His face, having suffered no threatening damage, had received no treatment, excepting his lip, because he needed to be able to speak, to testify.

"Please, Mister Malfoy, can you tell us what happened?" Dumbledore looked at Draco beseechingly.

"My dad happened." Draco bitterly muttered.

Dumbledore and Harry both remained silent. Dumbledore leaned back. Clearly shocked.

Okay, maybe not clearly shocked. But Harry could easily notice. Then again, Harry was an exceptional observer.

Harry himself simply nodded. He had expected this, the moment he read about Draco's murdered Squib brother. Draco would have questioned Lucius. Not being so firmly entrenched in the Dark anymore, Draco would have claimed it to be proof, proof that purebloods were not superior after all. Lucius would have lost his temper from that.

And indeed, as Draco started talking, Harry was completely proven right. The only thing Harry had not thought of, was Draco's mother, Narcissa. According to Draco's tale, she had stood by him, and had made sure the elves treated him every night. She had also made sure to tell the elves that they still had to obey Draco. Making sure Draco would be able to escape the Manor in a moment of inattentiveness from Lucius.

Draco was in shit though. There was no way Lucius would forgive him. As Narcissa had failed him twice, giving him sons who had not been as Lucius wanted, he would probably go looking for a second wife. The moment Lucius produced another heir, he would be able to disinherit Draco, and leave him to his fate.

Going to court wouldn't gain anything either. Lucius would claim Head of House, and simply say he had been disciplining Draco for not following his Head. It was an ancient law. And as long as it stood, so did Lucius.

Lucius had probably spread a message as well. That Draco could no longer count on his family's approval or support. This would make life very difficult for Draco, who would fall to the bottom of the food chain in Slytherin House, and pureblood society as well.

Harry might have a way to protect Draco from that though. At least partially.

Excusing himself, Harry left the Hospital wing. He had some thinking to do.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

The students were busily chattering, waiting for the first years to arrive. They were still on the boats, crossing the lake.

The doors to the Hall swung open. And in came a limping Draco Malfoy. He looked dreadful. Every part of visible skin, was covered in bruises and cuts. The young man didn't even have anything to support him, for crying out loud. Total silence reigned in the Hall. Until...

"Oy Malfoy! Who did that to you! My owl needs an address to deliver the flowers!" It was Max Potter who spoke up. The entire Hall started cheering, laughing and applauding. Including the Slytherins. The only exceptions were the staff table, Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter, the latter two went unnoticed though. Only Draco saw them. And it was precisely that which gave him the strength to ignore Max, and simply limp to the Slytherin table.

The laughter had just subsided, and Draco had sat down. Just as Max opened his mouth for another crack, everybody could hear a loud, clear hoot.

As all heads turned towards the owl entrance, one single, beautiful, unknown, snowy owl came soaring through. She was carrying two things. A cane was clutched in her talons, and a cobalt blue envelope was in her beak.

As everybody watched her soar through the air, the stunned silence remained.

The owl landed in front of Draco Malfoy, who looked curiously at it.

Putting the cane on the bench beside him, Draco took the letter and carefully opened it. A powerful voice sounded throughout the room.

"_You have lost much and many, Young Malfoy. Yet you do not stand alone. Your truest ally stands with you. Accept our gift as a token of our alliance, and as a way to aid you, during your time of injury, sustained by standing up for what is both just, and right. The head, carved to the likeness of a Basilisks head, is gold. The wood is hawthorn, like your wand. The glimmering, green skin which you see, spiraling down from handle to foot, is Basilisk skin. Freshly harvested from an ancient basilisk, over a thousand years old. You have lost many, but you have maintained the one, greater than them all." _The strong, brave, wise voice quieted. And the letter simply dissolved.

In the absolutely dead silence that followed, Draco spoke, in barely more than a whisper to the owl.

"Your master is strong and wise. As long as I have him on my side, no injury I sustain is a true one. Thank him for me. From one who has seen the light, to one who is the sun."

Having finished his minor monologue, Draco examined his cane for a few seconds, and turned around to watch the doors, which swung open at just the right moment. Revealing McGonnagal leading in another fresh batch of first years.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

That night, in the Slytherin common room, the Basilisks mouth opened, and out came the voice from the letter, resounding throughout all of the Slytherin common room, it shared its message.

"_Young Malfoy. As you lay to rest, place this cane at the foot of your bed. And speak the password. Your sleep will be safe and calm. And your body and possessions will be protected. This I swear."_

The head returned to its original state, and Draco, ignoring the impressed silence, simply headed to his dorm.

After having prepared for bed, Draco placed the cane as instructed, and whispered.

"An ally, a friend, a comrade in arms, these you are, these you have earned."

As Draco laid down, and snoozed away, he never saw the Basilisks head turn green, as it's eyes started glowing in a strong, golden color.

* * *

><p><strong>Done. Before anyone asks, Harry did use another voice to create that letter. He used the voice he'll start using the moment he heads into the spotlight. It's the voice he automatically gains when he is not suppressing his powers, and trying to stay under the radar. I believe I wrote a credible chapter, and managed to get Draco recovered before any vengeful Gryffs managed to get to him. Other then that, Dumbles and Harry have started the road to mentorship. I largely ignored Flitwick this chapter, don't worry, he isn't forgotten, simply delayed. Please leave a review, as they are a large part of what makes writing fun.<strong>

**Signing of,**

**Peeves' best friend**


	11. It's raining! AWESOME!

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!**

**Chapter 11, a lot happens. By the time this chappy ends, Christmas has passed. As nothing substantial was given or received this year, I will not be mentioning it.**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!**

* * *

><p>Over the past two weeks, Hogwarts had seen Draco Malfoy limping through the castle. Using a marvelous cane to stay upright. Nobody had dared to taunt Draco though.<p>

When Ronald Bilius Weasley had tried, the day after the Sorting, Peeves had come zooming through a wall, and had started bombarding the youngest Weasley male, with any and all projectiles in reach.

Weasley had been forced to flee, and had been fifteen minutes late to Potions as a consequence. Gryffindor had only managed to return into the positive points, two days ago.

Draco Malfoy had apparently befriended the toothless lion, Neville Longbottom. They were seen talking and joking throughout the castle. As if they were longtime friends. They actually were, thanks to their mutual contact with Harry, but nobody needed to know that.

Harry had remained under the radar. Keeping up his routine of the previous years. The only differences being classes with Dumbledore, which had thus far consisted of Dumbledore evaluating each and every skill that Harry had at his disposal, and the unofficial cancellation of Harry's Advanced Charms Class.

Harry had forgiven Flitwick, but Flitwick didn't have to know that yet. Harry would make him sweat for a little while longer. He'd go to Flitwick's office next week, at the time of their previous Advanced Classes.

They'd 'talk' then. Harry had something else planned, actually, but if Dumbledore found out, he'd alert Flitwick, and Harry wouldn't be able to take out some of his frustration on Flitwick.

Peter Pettigrew, the Man-Who-Betrayed-The-Potters-And-The-Light-To-You-Know-Who, had escaped Azkaban as well.

There were currently Dementors patrolling the borders of the grounds. Harry had gone to visit them, the moment he was informed of their presence. He needed to know how vulnerable he was.

Apparently, Harry could dance next to one, without feeling really bad. As a matter in fact, he got really cold when next to one. So he kind of liked that. The only problem was keeping up his shields, it got straining after five minutes of one-on-one contact. The Dementors were capable of dragging up some terrible memories.

Being beaten by the Dursleys, seeing Voldemort's face in his first year, the Basilisk's mangled corpse, ... And some woman screaming and a green flash of light.

Harry had deduced that that would have to be Dorea Potter, James Potter's mom. Harry was surprised by the complete green flash though. It was strange that it filled his complete vision, when the spell was in the form of a laser beam. The rebounding spell might have lost its form though... Yeah, that's probable, due to energy loss, the spell did not maintain its concentrated state.

Anyway, Harry should start moving, he'd be late to Ancient Runes if he waited any longer. Harry actually like Ancient Runes. The only problem was the level of the course, Harry had read the book, twice by now, and the exercises and the classes, were all at the same level at the book. So Harry had gotten bored by this point. So Ancient Runes had become just another class of self study, and knowingly handing in work of an average grade.

Arithmancy was no different. Although there were more exercises, and some of them were mildly challenging, Arithmancy would reach self study level in another week or so.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry swiftly pulled out his wand as he entered Flitwick's office. Firing off 3 stunners, Harry moved in and looked a shocked Flitwick, who had managed to block the stunners only by the closest of margins, in the eye.

"You're supposed to have been a Dueling Champion, and guess what my new project is?" Harry chillingly informed Flitwick, before carpet bombing the poor professor with curses.

An hour later, Harry slowly tucked his wand into his dragonhide wand holster, Turkish Tremorclaw.

He had stunned Flitwick twice, and had covered the professor in minor injuries. Harry was worse off though. Not having used any of his special abilities, only pure dueling, Harry had been knocked out five times, and Flitwick had managed to petrify him twice as well. Harry had managed to undo those in Flitwick's moments of hesitation though. He was also covered in minor injuries, and had a nasty looking cut in his arm, from where he hadn't managed to evade the last of a batch of conjured knives.

Panting, Harry looked at the diminutive professor.

"Now then, if the explanation you'll be giving me in a minute, is decent, and we continue this every week... Then you're forgiven. Now explain." Harry's voice was ice. But he had meant what he said. He might never reach his former level of trust with Flitwick again, but if the man was truthful, they might at least restore some of it.

And so Flitwick explained. How amazed he had been by Harry's potential. The grueling sight of the Basilisk, and how he feared not being able to control Harry on his own. How Dumbledore had pushed all the right buttons. But also of the oath, which still bound Dumbledore. And of how happy he had been, when Harry had been found innocent of opening the Chamber.

When Flitwick finished, it was long after curfew.

"Very well. Can we continue this next week? I need to get to my dorm." Harry spoke up. Not by any means friendly, but not angry or resentful either. Simply in his normal, clear and calm tones.

"Of course. Take the portrait of the empty bookshelf, it opens next to the fireplace in the common room. Good night, Harry." He replied.

"Good night, sir" Harry said, and turned around to move to the portrait.

Simultaneously, Flitwick moved towards his chair, which had remained remarkably untouched.

Harry paused in the opening of the portrait.

He waited until he could hear a distinct crack, and a loud thump, before he started moving again. He simply kept walking. A small, smug smile on his face.

Flitwick had not noticed the spells Harry had managed to sneak onto his chair during their duel. At this moment, the professor was covered in blue paint, his chair had broken apart, and then changed into a cage, his hair had been partially burned off, and he smelled of armpit sweat.

Revenge was sweet.

And those charms had been made as imperturbable as possible. Odds were, Flitwick would be sporting at least one of the spoils of war at breakfast tomorrow.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Max was in the Hospital wing! How exciting! According to Draco, the arrogant boy had not showed proper respect to a Hippogriff. Simply saying something about all creatures owing their lives to him, he had demanded the beast bow to him first. It had not taken the suggestion into consideration.

So now, Gryffindor claimed being unable to play... And Ravenclaw had been drawn as the replacement team. They had two injured Chasers themselves, but apparently, they were not the Boy-Who-Lived, so they would just have to find replacements.

Ravenclaw would now be playing Hufflepuff. As Draco wasn't ready to play for Slytherin yet, they had used Snape to get out of playing as well.

This however, didn't bother Harry. What DID bother him, was there being two injured Chasers for the Ravenclaws, and Ravenclaw only had two reserve Chasers. Harry would be forced to play, as one of their Chasers had graduated last year, Davies, their best reserve, had become first string. Leaving only Harry and Danny Chambers as reserves.

Now, both Stretton and Burrow had gotten injured. Forcing Harry to play, or become hated as the man who abandoned Ravenclaw...

He'd just have to try and play an unimportant part in the game then...

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

... and Diggory! Now, give it up for the Ravenclaw team! Keeper, Page. Beaters, Samuels and Inglebee. Chasers, Davies, Potter and Chambers. And the seeker, ... CHAAAAAAANG!

Cheers went up from both the Ravenclaw and Slytherin sections of the tribunes. There was no way, Slytherins would support those goody two shoes of Hufflepuff, they didn't like the Ravens either, but better a bookworm then a Hufflepuff.

However, the cheers were hardly audible, as the match would be played in terrible conditions. Thunder crackled through the air, lightning flashed, rain drops as thick as thumbs fell from the sky. If this kept up, Harry might play at his best after all. Nobody 'd see him!

Hooch blew her whistle, simultaneously with a heavy clap of thunder.

They took off. Harry remained very low to the ground. As expected, both Davies and Applebee missed the Quaffle, letting it fall back to the ground, where an eager Harry was waiting.

Most of the crowd were simply listening to Lee Jordan, who was making himself heard over the thunder with great difficulty. He'd be the only one able to follow the scoring, as he had the device that was magically connected to both rings and Snitch. To track the score.

Harry shot off like a rocket. Simply flying to the left ring, he saw the Hufflepuff keeper realize the danger, Harry swerved to the right, as the keeper shot to the left. Harry simply flew through the center ring with the Quaffle still in his hands. As he exited the ring on the other side, he made a sharp turn to the right, flying through the right ring from the backside. The moment he passed the ring, Harry threw the Quaffle backwards. Scoring again.

Davies recuperated it, the guy really had great talent. He deserved the Captain's badge for this one. Harry wouldn't want it anyways, the badge would lead to attention, and unnecessary time loss.

As the game progressed, Harry scored six more times. Ravenclaw was leading by 190 to 50.

Then, Harry saw both Diggory and Chang rocket upwards. Knowing Chang was no match for Diggory, he hastily ripped the Quaffle out of Davies hands.

"RECUPERATE IT! DIGGORY HAS SEEN THE SNITCH! I'LL SCORE, PUT IT BACK THROUGH IMMEDIATELY!" Harry yelled in full force.

Davies caught on immediately, after all, they were Ravenclaws. They didn't just read books, they had brains as well.

The Hufflepuff team had noticed Diggory shooting off as well. The Chasers and Keeper all flew at Harry at top speed. Harry heaved the Quaffle with all his might, from centerfield. As the wind died down miraculously, gathering power for another blast, it flew true, flying through the left ring...

Harry had been aiming for the center one. Still, a goal's a goal. Davies caught it, and threw it through again, only seconds before Jordan yelled something about Diggory, and Hooch blew her whistle.

210 to 200. The Snitch really was overpriced...

Only now did Harry notice the pressure on his shields. And as he looked down, he saw why. At least twenty dementors were swarming the field. Now that he wasn't distracted anymore, Harry could really feel their evil presence pounding on his shields.

He'd be in trouble if nobody took action any time soon. Fortunately, Dumbledore showed up.

Harry saw a lot of students crying and screaming in fear. Max his friends looked particularly affected.

The beaver was shuddering in her seat, twitching uncontrollably. She looked dead on her feet as well.

The weasel was ... Hiding under his chair! Seriously? How old are you Weasel? FIVE?

And the Owens girl... Had fainted? She looked blue... From the cold? What the fuck? Affected by the cold instead of the soul sucking? Interesting...

Dumbledore used a Patronus, a goat, apparently. That guy was just amusing, even if he didn't try!

Harry hadn't mastered the Patronus yet. He had trouble with the happy memory... He would have to drop at least some of his shields to feel them strong enough. And if he dropped his shields... It might be too late anyways.

.

.

.

This dementor attack had actually worked in Harry's benefit.

Firstly, nobody had talked about the match, only knowing Ravenclaw had won by the closest of margins, and secondly, he had a new mystery to solve. Something was not right about Max's beaver bookworm.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Excellent, Draco had just been declared completely recovered by Pomfrey, a mere week before Christmas, his recovery had taken much longer then expected. Bloody Lucius. But then again, if Pomfrey deems you fully recovered, then that usually means you are in a better shape than before you got injured. So that was something to be pleased about. Draco would keep using the cane though. It had undergone some useful improvements, and it was a clear reminder of Draco being off limits for those looking for payback. Also, the Granger girl was using an extremely powerful artifact, and she clearly couldn't deal with the stress of long term time travel. Harry would have to speak to Albus, bookworm the beaver wasn't only endangering herself...

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

"You know Albus, the Granger girl can't take the load. I don't know how she's doing it, but the girl is taking multiple classes at the same time. I've seen the girl disappear in a cupboard, whilst running towards Max and his Weasel from another angle, and at the same time!" Harry calmly informed Dumbledore, just as he was about to leave after having just had his latest Advanced Class, having been his third one since the second trimester started.

"I will look into the matter. I have noticed the same, and the girl is clearly not as strong as Minerva thought. Perhaps I shouldn't let non-Ravenclaws follow extra classes." Dumbledore tranquilly spoke. Levitating one of his silver gadgets to him.

"You shouldn't let Ravenclaws do so either. They can self study if they want to. Whatever you use to help Granger, isn't healthy. And if my guess is correct, the risks, for all of us, outweigh her potential gain by tons." Harry coldly spoke. He wasn't kidding about this. If he was right, realties could collapse if Granger was really time-travelling to such a degree.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry had just moved from beyond the gargoyle, and started moving to the Quidditch Pitch. He wanted to train a bit. He didn't notice the blonde shade following him though.

.

.

.

Harry had been training for more than an hour. He was drenched in sweat, and he'd dumped his top half an hour ago. He had put up repelling wards around the Pitch... But anybody who had already been inside wouldn't have felt the effects.

As Harry completed his pushups, he could feel a pair of eyes on him.

Glancing up subtly, whilst doing some cooling down stretches, Harry noticed a Slytherin third year watching him. Daphne Greengrass if his files weren't failing him. They weren't, they never failed.

Deciding her threat level was dismissible, Harry simply finished his stretches, toweled off, and put on his top. Having done all that, he looked the girl in the eyes.

From her total lack of reaction, Harry knew he had forgotten something.

Oh yeah. She was known as a very cool person herself. Some went so far as to call her an Ice Queen. Harry found that derogatory though. He alone was lord and master of the Ice, and that girl was certainly not his Queen.

As she didn't react, Harry decided two could play at that.

Lifting his left eyebrow just a little bit, he noticed the girl's resolve falter. Swiftly sending a probe, he managed to slip through her acceptable Occlumency shields. Reading her intentions, Harry found that the girl had decided he would be perfect as first date material.

Her thoughts were: 'Good looking, distanced, average in class, not a real threat, won't try something, no competition.'

Harry could live with that, his own hormones were acting up as well. He was simply repressing them whilst in public, but being able to let them loose in an acceptable environment and situation, might be less time consuming and draining.

The girl had almost recovered her shields and expression, so Harry decided to knock her out.

His lips quirked into a sort of diagonal line, and he lifted his right eyebrow as well. As the girl couldn't suppress her blush, Harry's smug smirk was clear for the world to see.

"How can I help you Miss Greengrass?" Harry asked. The girl was recovering too fast for his tastes though, so he decided to add just a little provocation into the mix.

"After all, I doubt you came all the way here to ogle me for an hour. You would have simply sneaked into the Quidditch locker-room after Ravenclaws practice if that were the case."

Her blush returned. She wasn't so much embarrassed, as frustrated that Harry was so easily beating her at the thing she had a reputation for, remaining ice cold at all times.

"I would like for somebody to accompany me to Hogsmeade, coming Saturday. Would you be interested in meeting me at the carriages, at let's say 9 a.m.?" Daphne spoke, regaining her resolve.

Harry thought she was assuming a bit too much though.

"I will not be able to meet you at nine. If you are willing to wait until 10.30, than I would most happily accept." Harry calmly responded. Letting her know who was dominant would be very important for a successful date.

To Harry's disappointment, the girl didn't put up any more of a fight.

"That will be fine. I will see you then." And with that, she swiftly turned and started moving to the castle."

'_Too bad, I was hoping she would be more tenacious. We have similar personalities, which is good, but I am far too skilled at the game to get any lasting challenges from her.' _

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><p><strong>Hellooo! Tell me what you think, I have had a rather sharp decline in reviews, it seems. That's not a real problem, but it makes keeping the story realistic and fun to read, much easier. Also, I am looking forward to my B-Day, which is only 1 hour and 45 minutes away when I post this. So I'll be an official adult then! Driver's license I'm coming to get you... At some point. Thanks for reading and I hope y'all enjoyed (Hillbilly style, y'all!)! Do please leave a review, it makes doing a decent job much easier.<strong>

**__Signing of, **

**Peeves' best friend.  
><strong>


	12. The bird has flown

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!**

**Good day to you all, I don't know about everybody else, but I feel adultish right now! Being eighteen is awesome, even if only to mess with your still seventeen year old friends! Back to the story, my newest chapter, tying up year 3. This one took hours, I had real difficulty with this. Now, before everybody starts muttering about the ending, read the AN! Also, thanks for your reviews, I can feel the love. And also thanks for more then two hundred alerts, and for the favorites.**

**Now enough from me, please, enjoy the chapter.  
><strong>

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!**

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><p>Well... Letting his hormones free reign at opportune times, was extremely satisfying. Harry would have no trouble casting a Patronus right now!<p>

His date with Daphne Greengrass had been... nice. He knew they wouldn't become anything permanent, but the girl was great for a snog!

_-Flashback-_

Their date had gone pretty good. They'd gone to Honeydukes and the Three Broomsticks, and had gone to the Shrieking Shack. Deciding he wanted to get to the important part, Harry had used some magic to make a howling wind come from the Shack, and he had let a loud shriek split through the air.

Daphne had been suitably impressed, and had pressed up to Harry. When she had shakily suggested to walk back to Hogwarts, Harry knew how he had to play it. Being supportive, and putting an arm around her shoulder, he had made a show of acting protective.

When they had gotten somewhere about halfway between Hogsmeade and Hogwarts, Daphne had told him she had liked it, had stopped him, and had hesitantly put her lips on his.

When she had stopped kissing him, Harry immediately realized his small mistake. His skin temperature was always on the low side, and now it was cold outside on top of that as well! Daphne had questioningly told him that he had really cold lips.

Harry played it smart though. He had simply suggested she warm him up, simultaneously using an extremely small and local warming charm.

The girl had clearly liked the idea, judging by her enthusiastic response. In the end, they'd needed almost three hours to get back to Hogwarts, for a twenty minute walk...

_-End of Flashback-_

After having told the girl he wasn't looking for anything serious, but if she were to feel the need to release some frustration, she could always call him.

She had looked disappointed... But from the slight glint in her eye, Harry knew she was interested. She just didn't know it yet. He'd have to make sure to again when the exams came around. Odds were she would be plenty frustrated then.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Hmm... Harry was interested. Pettigrew had assaulted the portrait to the Gryffindor common room. So he had a way into Hogwarts... Harry wondered what passageway the man was using.

Harry had been lucky though. He had arrived at the portrait before the masses. He had easily sniffed out the only scent he'd didn't have in his files. This meant a nightly run in his wolf form was waiting for him.

.

.

.

Harry was standing in front of the Gryffindor portrait, it was 2p.m. . He morphed into his impressive Arctic Wolf form.

Sniffing out the correct smell, Harry started a calm trot, simply tracing the smell. He was pretty sure he knew what passage Pettigrew had used... And it evoked a completely fresh round of questions.

The ruddy bastard had used the collapsed passageway on the fourth floor! But how!

Harry had tried to make a clearance that was large enough to let him get through in either human or wolf form...

And he failed spectacularly!

There were plenty of small openings in the rubble, but even the largest one would barely allow for a small Chihuahua to worm through!

Harry might actually have an idea though...

Conjuring a small mouse, Harry placed both a compulsion, and a tracking spell on the little critter.

It would get to the other side of the passageway, and remain there.

Harry would be able to pick the smell up in Hogsmeade then!

Now he just needed to get that far... He'd be forced to use the Willow...

Filch knew about most other plausible other openings, and ending up in Honeydukes' cellar was ill-advised as well.

The owner probably had anti-theft wards. So if Harry just appeared in the middle of the shop somehow, an alarm would probably go off.

He turned around, and continued his trot. To the Willow then!

.

.

.

Harry ducked another swipe of the Whomping Willow. Swiftly leaping forward, he managed to dive into the secret passageway between its roots. His last sight of the outside, was of the clear full moon.

Harry sprinted on. He couldn't wait too long, he would only be able to track Pettigrew's scent up to a few hours. And that was if he hadn't apparated!

.

.

.

Seeing a light at the end of the passageway, Harry knew he was getting close to the exit. Slowing down a little bit, he kept moving. If he moved at full speed, he would lose time as he wouldn't be able to avoid all the walls.

Moving into the Shrieking Shack, Harry immediately became aware of the fact that he had crossed wards... Uh oh.

He could pick up three other scents.

Lupin was one of them. The man was a decent teacher for most students, but he acted as if Harry were a piece of furniture. Then again, that actually suited Harry just fine.

The other two were unknown though, although Harry clearly picked up on them both being Animagi. Coming to think of it, ... Pettigrew smelled of animal as well... Pettigrew was a very small Animagus! That's how he did it!

Wait a second, ..., Lupin, Animagi, Wards, Shrieking Shack, Full Moon... Aw shit!

Harry had figured out that Lupin was a werewolf, the moment he saw him. Early graying, poor, smelling wolfish. That had been clear. The guy was a beta wolf though, so he wouldn't be a problem.

Harry could bark him down without any trouble whatsoever...

But two unknown Animagi were definitely a problem. And if Harry transformed, Lupin would attack!

Regaining his focus, Harry spotted a black dog and a stag. Both clearly still processing his arrival. Lupin was there as well. The guy actually looked pretty impressive. Had he accepted his disease, he would have become an alpha long ago. The guy was clearly one of Greyback's offspring.

As Lupin backed down, whining pitifully, the dog started snarling, and the stag lowered his antlers, pawing at the ground. Both seemed to think him an enemy. This did complicate things though. Harry would have to leave the Shack, and close the door before Lupin got out.

He eyed the dog and stag critically. They seemed to have a pathetic plan of action. The stag would try to spear him, with the dog following close behind to close in on him.

Harry knew exactly how to act. He bared his teeth and took a defensive stance. The animals pounced. Lupin didn't move, only whining pitifully to try and warn the other two animals.

Harry simply jumped sideways, easily avoiding the racing stag, which ran past him. The dog followed close behind, but it was no match for Harry. He ducked its swiping paw, and gripped its neck between his jaws. Swinging as Harry as he could, Harry slung the dog at a turning stag. Only to take the time they would need to set up another attack, to race to the door, transform, get out, and replace all the hastily pulled down wards on the door. He hadn't been spotted. Although Lupin was now pawing at the door from the other side, furiously trying to get to the human he had spotted.

Harry simply morphed back to wolf once more, and moved on. The Animagi wouldn't be able to safely follow for a while. And the scent scrambler spell he standardly used, as part of his morning ritual, made sure they wouldn't be following him after Lupin had returned to human.

.

.

.

Harry had arrived at the mouse's location. It was a small hole in the ground, covered by shrub, in a small grove, a little ways out of Hogsmeade.

Harry took a deep whiff of the scent, and continued his route. It led him up a mountain... Great...

Harry noticed it getting stronger, so he slowed down and moved with caution. He arrived at a cave entrance. Morphing to human, Harry pulled out his wand, and created an ice shield to hover around him. That should stop at least one AK. He'd have to look out with shards though...

The shield was more than a decimeter thick, a shard of that could kill him as easily as the AK itself...

Harry used a magical pulse, to get a feel of the depth of the cave. Twenty meters or so...

All right, plan of action,

Sunglasses on

Superpowered Lumos Maxima

Locate Pettigrew

Stun, bind, gag, petrify and stun again for good measure

Having thought that out, Harry undertook action. As his badass Lumos flew in, he rolled into the cave and looked for Pettigrew. The guy was in his human form. That would make hitting easier. He had clearly been overwhelmed and was scrambling for his wand. Harry fire of his first of five spells. Just as Pettigrew's hand closed over his hand, Harry's spells started reaching him.

"Well... That was anticlimactic." Harry spoke into the once again dark, and silent cave.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

The rest of the year had been dull. Although Miss Greengrass had indeed contacted Harry thrice during the exams. He'd have to see about making her a friend with benefits in a year or two, depending on her emotional (and physical) maturation.

Dropping Pettigrew off had been ridiculously easy. He'd simply brought the man to Dumbledore, telling him everything he knew about the man. Including his small Animagus form.

Dumbledore had handed Pettigrew over to the Aurors. Only to have Pettigrew escape during transport... The morons hadn't believed Dumbledore about Pettigrew being an Animagus because that hadn't been on file. A second of inattention, and the bird had... no, the rat had run. Yes, much more fitting.

Harry had been informed by Davies that because of the graduation of the two remaining veteran Chasers, Harry would become first string next year... Harry didn't know how to feel about that.

In other news, the dog and stag had been identified by Harry. They were Sirius Black and James Potter respectively. They had been in the Shack to help Lupin with his transformation. They hadn't the foggiest about Harry's identity though.

Now, the end of year feast had just taken place. Thanks to the points Dumbledore had anonymously given Harry for the capture of Pettigrew, the House Cup had been secured yet again.

The other Houses were getting annoyed about it. There were rumors about the Ravenclaws going to beat the Slytherin streak already... They weren't even halfway there.

That didn't matter though, what did matter was that Dumbledore had sent Harry a note to meet him in his office.

So there Harry was, simply walking in, not even bothering to try and knock, as Albus was expecting him anyways.

When Harry entered, he was surprised by the presence of all four Heads of Houses.

Harry didn't show that though, he simply pulled out his wand, beating McGonnagal at the draw, that wasn't important, but it stroked his ego nevertheless, and he drew himself a chair. Making sure to place plenty of blue and bronze into the design. He had to show House loyalty after all.

Sitting down, Harry simply lifted his left eyebrow, and looked at Dumbledore expectantly.

Dumbledore had simultaneously drawn up _his _left eyebrow, at seeing Harry's chosen design.

Dammit, they really, _really_, had that one in common.

Dumbledore decided to break their mutual amused silence though.

"Harry, the Triwizard Tournament is being reinstated. There won't be an Age limit, on the insistence of Beauxbatons, who claim to have plenty of talent amongst all their years. Of course, once hearing that, Durmstrang started claiming the same thing, simply not to be outdone. And now I am not allowed to ask for one by the Board, seeing as that would be humiliating, according to them at least. I informed them it would be responsible, but they won't budge.

Seeing as Magical Britain has been drawing quite a lot of flak over the past few years, doing good in the tournament is essential for Hogwarts. If foreigners see us as magically lacking, they won't take Voldemort's threat serious when he returns, and they won't send help. Ah, you have already figured out the rest, please, finish my monologue for me if you'd be so kind, I'm fancying a lemon drop." Dumbledore spoke, only to grow amused when he saw the twinkle in Harry's eyes, something they had in common as well, but Harry hadn't noticed it yet, after all, he didn't have a mirror available whilst speaking to Dumbledore.

"Because there will not be an Age Limit, the chance exists that a not last year will be picked as champion for Beauxbatons or Durmstrang. As we both know the only lower year in Hogwarts, who can match or surpass the last years, you want ME to enter the tournament... What's it worth to me?"

Harry finished Dumbledore's monologue, and paused for a second, to give the professors time to process that, and only then did he pose his question.

"The tournament prize is a thousand galleons. You are of course, not convinced. However, I would like to add to that, that the Board has offered me 2000 Galleons, if I ensure a Hogwarts victory. So if you win, I'll give you those as well. Also, you would gain a lot of popular power if you were to win. It might give you the boost to make it on the big scene. And of course, there are the female upper years, who would be quite happy to be able to say they'd dated a Triwizard Champion." Dumbledore finished, twinkle stronger than ever.

"You make good points... I have added conditions and a question though. First: What'll happen to the Quidditch Season?" Harry calmly asked. McGonnagal seemed to realize something as well, as she hastily looked at Dumbledore.

"It will have to be cancelled, unfortunately. And yes Minerva, there is no other way." Dumbledore spoke. Piercing McGonnagal with a quick, amused look.

"Secondly, I'll be getting privileges, you know, the works: Prefect's bath, Unrestricted Acces to everything, which includes the grounds. So the Forbidden Forest as well. I can drop Herbology too. I have all theoretical knowledge one would need for an Outstanding NEWT, but the practical is hellish, so I won't bother with it. No end of year exams, as I deliberately hold back on those anyways, no curfew, I can leave Hogwarts up to twice a week, if I inform a professor in time. I'll also be allowed to miss classes. There, you have my conditions. Also, you will be keeping Max and his people on a leash, or I will be doing so for you. Except for the Max part, which becomes valid immediately, the others only become valid once my name has come out of the Goblet." Harry coolly informed. If the professors hadn't been surprised or offended by his demands, they certainly were when Harry mentioned the Goblet of Fire.

At their stunned expressions, Harry simply sighed.

"You seem to be forgetting exactly what student you are dealing with, professors, and in your case, professor Flitwick, what student you are dueling with." Harry said. He sounded cocky, but then again, all these professors knew what he was capable off. Sprout being the exception, however at the other's accepting and resigned looks, she decided to remain quiet as well.

Dumbledore happily twinkled.

"Excellent Harry! You have no idea how happy you've made me, and you might be saving quite a few lives as well... Thank you, my boy."

"Sure thing. Now, if you'd excuse me, I have a wonderful bed to say a long, tearful goodbye to." Harry announced. Before standing up, and vanishing his chair. Followed by him swiftly leaving Dumbledore's office.

Sprout remained silent for another minute.

"Would somebody please explain to me what is going on?" The poor woman actually sounded upset!

"You see, Pomona, ..." Dumbledore said hesitantly, "we aren't really allowed to. I'll have Harry give me permission tomorrow though!"

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><p><strong>I don't know about you, but just picturing Dumbledore's face when he told Sprout he'd ask Harry for permission, that cracked me up. So, about Harry agreeing. 3000 Galleons, Harry was selled the moment he realised that. It would be the financial reserve he would need for his adult life to come, in case he does leave Britain, as he has planned ATM, whilst still in peace time and unknown, and in the shadows. I think that's it...<strong>

**Consider leaving a review, because they make amazing birthday gifts really, and tell me what you think, want, expect, feel, like, dislike, hate, love, ...**

**Signing of,**

**Peeves' best friend**


	13. What? I've got to take a leak! Honestly!

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

**CHAPTER 13! Great! This chapter is pretty short, but we finally reach a point where Harry acts in public. I like it. So, I've gotten my first not nice review, it was pretty rude. And I discovered that I don't care! :D, which is great, because that means I wont let criticism knock me down! Anyway, back to the topic, Summer recap, and all the way up to arrival of the foreigners. That's the time span. Also, thanks for the reviews, PM's which I find stimulating as well, alerts and fav's. Enjoy the chapter!**

****DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER****

* * *

><p>Harry had just boarded the train the Hogwarts Express, and decided to review his past summer for things worthy of repeating next summer.<p>

Muggle girls... Worth it! Harry had a great physique, and when wearing T-shirts, that sure as hell scored. He went to a school for gifted children, a win as well, his card tricks seemed almost like real magic. He now had a reputation as a great guy and a real player in Surrey.

He could live with that.

Boxing with Dudley had also been a success. They were pretty much equal in the ring, Harry relying a little more on his footwork, Dudley boxing more like Mike Tyson. Just walk in and start swinging.

Aunt Marge had visited as well. And she'd brought that infernal dog of hers! Marge was a bitch. That's all there is to it. But she was family, so she had to visit every once in a while.

Harry had simply taken it all lying down, he'd provoked Ripper to get the dog to chase Harry into the backyard, Marge had simply laughed uproariously and asked for more brandy.

Once in the backyard, Harry had morphed, slowly turned towards a petrified Ripper, and snarled. The little bitch had ran with his tail tucked between his legs. Harry had remorphed and simply moved into the street, he had this girl on Magnolia Crescent, who had an amazing ass...

Other than that, Harry had been preparing for the Triwizard. The cup would pick based on magical ability and likelihood to succeed, so Harry was pretty sure he'd be chosen. Therefore, he had been busily researching the past Tournaments, and any consensus he could find.

There was one. During the first task, one would gain or retrieve something, that held a clue for the second task.

Also, it was not forbidden to interrupt or interfere with other champions, as long as it was a task were everybody had to compete simultaneously.

He'd be using that as well.

Other than that, Harry had told both Draco and Neville about the tournament, and how he'd probably be the champion. This meant Harry would be stepping into the spotlight, and he would need his allies.

Draco and Neville had been more than happy to confirm they'd be backing Harry.

Draco was still taking that cane along, wherever he went.

Neville had made another good friend, who was ready to be added to the group. The Hufflepuff who had impressed Harry during the Dueling Club, more than eighteen months ago.

Cedric Diggory, that was his name. According to Neville, the guy was nice, talented, smart, brave and he had political power to be. His dad was in the Ministry after all.

Harry had given Neville permission to get the guy into the group. He had to admit to being curious why Neville was so excited about Diggory, there had to be more than met the eye.

Anyway, Draco and Neville had just entered the platform. Draco had spent the entire summer at the Longbottoms. His dad was still negotiating a second wife's contract. So Draco was still the Malfoy heir. There had been no contact between the father and son.

Unfortunately, as long as Sirius Black didn't act, Narcissa was stuck under Lucius control. Black was the only one who could dissolve the Black-Malfoy contract, as the Black Head of House. Draco had been training quite a bit himself, the plan being to beat Lucius in a House dispute duel, before a second child was born.

If Draco won that duel, he could claim Head of House. As the current Head was too magically weak to guide the Malfoy family. It was one of the old rules of House Malfoy, and one that Lucius was blissfully unaware of.

Back to the present, Harry's compartment door was just sliding open.

A beaming Neville was standing there, an equally happy Draco Malfoy next to him.

"Harry! Great to see you!" They both happily exclaimed.

Oh great... the morons had had caffeine. These would be eight long, torturous hours.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Diggory was a likeable guy, and was probably Harry's biggest rival for the Hogwarts champion position.

The guy had sat with them for part of the trip. Harry could tell the boy was interested in Harry, and he would be coming around more often. A good start had been made. That was all that was necessary for now.

Anyway, the Sorting had just ended, and Dumbledore had just finished his explanation of the Tournament.

Harry did a quick scan.

Diggory had a fire in his eyes, and met Harry's gaze unflinchingly. Impressive. With a nod, Harry looked on, the Weasel boys all seemed to think they actually stood a chance at being chosen...

Please! If you took out all students with more than a week of schooling perhaps.

Ronald just didn't have the necessary skills, whereas the twins would not function at even a quarter of their usual efficiency if separated. Together they made a very impressive duo, but alone... Not so.

The Slytherins were also analyzing the competition, clearly thinking about taking out some of the other potential champions.

And other than that, everybody was simply chattering. Both Draco and Neville looked at Harry and gave him a simple nod. They'd be with him. And that was all Harry would need for now.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

The other schools would be arriving in two hours, and Dumbledore had called Harry up to his office yet again.

Sitting down in his beautiful Hogwarts colored recliner, Harry simply waited.

"Ah Harry, I am glad to see you have decided to show School loyalty, with the impending arrival of the other schools. Now then, as you have already figured out, seeing as you have done quite a bit of research, the students of the other two schools, will be trying to show off, the moment they arrive here. The Board has realized this as well, and I will be getting 500 Galleons if we manage to rebuff their attempts at challenging us. I have decided to reinvest those into either you or the Weasley twins. You get first pick. Will you do it?" Dumbledore eventually spoke up.

"Can I do it anonymous?" Harry's reply was curt and crisp. He would do it either way, but anonymous would be more fitting to his goals, for now at least.

"No. It has to be seen as a student's action. Otherwise it might be interpreted as a childish professor. That is of the utmost importance." Dumbledore spoke simply.

"Alright. I'll do it." Harry simply spoke, before standing up and moving off again.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry was standing on the grounds, along with the rest of Hogwarts student population, waiting for the foreigners to show up.

Harry was the first to spot them, but he simply held his quiet. Somebody else would spot the flying carriage of Beauxbatons with the Abraxans pulling it, soon enough.

As the other students started pointing and yelling, the carriage came closer.

Finally touching down, the doors opened, and a boy pulled down some steps, only for a massive hand to appear.

Ah, that would be Madame Maxime. Half-giant. Hagrid would probably be smitten with her within hours.

As the Beauxbatons students lined up, Harry remembered one thing about the otherwise detestable French. They had some beautiful people around there.

Maxime and Dumbledore exchanged a few words, before the exaggeratedly shivering Beauxbatons students headed inside.

Then the Durmstrang folks surfaced. Literally, they came up out of the lake. Impressive bubble charm really. They too moved up to the castle, the trollish sons of the North looking as surly and burly as ever.

Karkaroff, the ex-Death Eater, greeted Dumbledore as an old friend, before guiding his students inside. Making a show of guiding Viktor Krum in.

Quite a few people fell for it though. Boys and girls alike.

.

.

.

As everybody settled down, Dumbledore speeched for a bit, before making a statement that was meant to draw out the French arrogance. And Albus succeeded miraculously.

"... I am sure you will find your stay here to be a most enjoyable experience."

Immediately, the Ravenclaw table became a source of derisive snorts and scathing laughs.

At Dumbledore's questioning and expectant look, a blonde girl, quarter-Veela or maybe even a half one, made a show of slowly standing up and elegantly waving her wand a few times, sending up two beautifully drawn firebirds, to have them hover over the Beauxbatons students. Many on them gave sighs of contentedness, caused by the sudden increase in temperature around them.

The girl sat down again. She had clearly expanded much more energy than she was willing to admit.

Suddenly, all the benches that the Durmstrang folks were sitting on, were transfigured into beautiful, high quality chairs. Courtesy of Krum.

Harry decided that this was probably the point at which he should get involved.

He got up, slowness in the extreme, making sure that all eyes were riveted towards him. He stretched a few times.

He looked around.

Acting surprised, he spoke in a completely serious tone,

"What? I'm just going to take a leak." Before turning on his heels, and marching towards the doors.

Everybody was stunned. They couldn't do anything but follow Harry's striding form with their gazes.

Pausing at the door, Harry stopped suppressing his powers for the first time ever in public. His aura visibly showed up for a few seconds.

"Oh, and Frenchie, Krum, this... is how you use a wand." Harry spoke, before stabbing his wand to the ground once.

Immediately, ice covered the entire Great Hall, and snow whirled through the air. By the time the sudden snowstorm died down, everybody sat, completely untouched, marveling at the changes throughout the Hall.

Everything was covered in ice. The walls were covered in beautiful ice sculptures, the normally sky-like ceiling, had been formed into a divine looking Renaissance ceiling, completely made out of ice. With beautiful chandeliers and everything. At a small flick from Harry, the chandeliers were lit as well. Without melting. The Frenchie's firebirds, had been changed into a pair of even more beautiful, and more detailed, nightingales made from ice. ALL benches and chairs, had been transfigured into ice. Without being cold, and whilst gaining comfort at the same time. The food had somehow remained warm and untouched as well. All in all, Harry had just put both Frenchie and Krum in place, whilst giving the Hall a beautiful decor at

the same time.

Harry simply walked out of the Hall.

He really had to take a leak.

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><p><strong>Harry is getting rude, or is it just me? Anyways, Harry doesn't like French people. It's one of his vicesvirtues, depending on your POV. I think it was pretty credible, though I would appreciate reviews, so I might change something if the readers disagree. I don't have much more to say, consider leaving a review, and I'll see you all at my next update.**

**Signing of,**

**Peeves' best friend.  
><strong>


	14. Burn baby burn! She's on fire!

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!**

**Hello! Chapter 14 if I'm not mistaken. School is awful. Fortunately, I do still get week-ends. So, I did my best. Hopefully I succeeded in pleasing everybody's expectations. 2000 words, so not a really long chappie. But I really have little free time right now. Enjoy and do consider to leave a review.**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!**

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><p>That ... was really amusing.<p>

He'd have to talk to Draco and Neville for the Hall's reactions after he left.

The only thing Harry was hoping for, would be that people would think he had deliberately mocked the Veela and her firebirds, instead of actually being an ice elemental.

Now, he'd have to think of a way to return into the public in a badass way...

Hmmm... How to make an awesome impression...

Oh... oh yes... Now that might actually work...

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

The next day, everyone was busily discussing the Ravenclaw Fourth Year who had publicly humiliated the foreign students in the Great Hall. As a matter in fact, the Great Hall was also the place where the discussions took place for the larger part.

Everybody was waiting for the first brave person to enter his or her name in the Goblet.

So far, nobody had stepped forth.

Until...

The doors swung open, and in came the entire Beauxbatons' department.

The French students were led by Madame Maxime, who looked around haughtily, clearly looking for the Ravenclaw that had mocked her student her bird conjuration.

Harry wasn't there though. Nobody had seen him since he walked out of the Great Hall after all.

The French students lined up and placed their names into the Goblet, one by one.

Finally, only the part-Veela remained. As she walked up, most boys were drooling over her, and the girls were glaring at her.

One of the girls, decided to speak up though...

"Haughty Veela bitch. She isn't even that strong! She gave the weakest show of them all yesterday! She's probably just here to seduce the other school's champions!"

In the throng of people, it wasn't really clear who had spoken up. But what WAS clear, was that this had given other people the courage to start muttering and mumbling, making disparaging comments and insults about the Beauxbatons' students.

As the mutterings picked up, the Veela girl did not show the muttering having any sort of effect on her and she simply dropped her piece of paper in the Goblet.

She then simply returned to the line.

As Madame Maxime waved her hand once, she turned around and left the Hall.

The Beauxbatons' students fell out of the line and split into groups and started talking amongst themselves.

It was then, that the Veela, suddenly made a swift transition to English.

"... Iet is razher typicalle zat zese English hide behind ze abilizies of only a zingle one of 'zem, non?"

She spoke, clearly audible throughout the suddenly quiet Hall.

Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say.

"And who do you think you are! You slutty, arrogant French whore!" Max Potter yelled out.

Immediately, insults were traded to and fro. Both sides grew increasingly nasty in their insults. Finally, it was Ronald Weasley who lost his temper at an underhanded insult about his family's international reputation for their monetary issues.

He pulled out his wand and yelled out the first curse in what would probably escalate into a full on battle. The Slug-Vomiting Charm flew straight and true, hitting one of the French students.

Immediately, wands flew out, and a small scale war erupted in the Great Hall.

The battle raged on for a few minutes.

Finally, somebody was stupid enough to throw an Incendio at the Veela. The spell was rather underpowered, but it was enough to reach the Veela. She was furious already, and this just pushed her over the edge.

The girl caught the fireball and after making it a lot stronger, threw it at the first person she spotted.

That happened to be Max Potter. Somehow, the baboon actually managed to duck away. The fireball flew on, instead hitting Rachel Owens, who had been dueling some other French witch, full on in the face.

Everybody paused. This had clearly gone a step too far.

But the girl didn't scream. The fire didn't die out either, it simply spread out all over her body. She wasn't burnt... But her eyes had gone from their normal dark brown pupils, now, no pupils were visible, and her eyes had changed into moving flames .

For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then the flames that were circling around the girl's body, flared up. The flames grew larger and larger. Some people shot of some Aguamenti charms, Hogwartians and Beauxbatonians alike, previous conflict forgotten.

It didn't work though. If possible, the flames seemed to react violently to the water, growing larger with every second. A licking flame hit a banner that was hanging on the walls, with the Hufflepuff badger on it.

The flames eagerly started spreading. Everybody was shooting off Aguamenti by now. It simply didn't work though.

Finally, some teachers showed up. Fortunately, Dumbledore was amongst them. The wizened old wizard, rapidly analyzed the situation. As the teachers started firing of their own, more advanced water charms, clearly being ineffective. Dumbledore realized where he had seen eyes like the ones of Miss Owens before.

Firing of a Patronus and rapidly giving it his message, Albus made everybody evacuate the Great Hall, simultaneously layering the walls and all other valuable things with protective enchantments.

He'd just have to hope his Patronus reached its destination soon.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry came out of the passage under the Whomping Willow. Quietly rejoining Draco and Neville, they were just about to go and prepare for Harry's spectacular entry into the Great Hall, when they saw a goat Patronus sprinting at them.

"Harry, Great Hall, Miss Owens appears to be a fire elemental and she has lost control. We cannot hold her as long as she is in this state, please come and help." Dumbledore's calm voice came from the Goat's mouth.

Harry swiftly turned and briskly marched to the Great Hall. Draco and Neville caught up to him.

"Draco, Neville, there is little you can do to help against a raging, out of control, fire elemental. You will join Dumbledore and help him in reinforcing any wards or enchantments he places around the Hall." Harry spoke calmly.

The boys didn't look too pleased with being told they weren't much help, but they were aware of the seriousness, seeing as Dumbledore himself had said that he couldn't keep Owens under control.

In the end, they simply nodded.

Coming up to the doors, Draco simply stabbed his cane towards them. Resulting in the doors swinging open ominously before the three young men. Not breaking their stride for a second, Draco and Neville moved to the group of teachers to aid in whichever way they could, until they could speak to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore was standing in the door opening to the Great Hall. Harry simply walked up next to him.

"Albus, I would suggest you leave the Hall and close the door behind you. If you need help with anything, Draco and Neville are waiting for something to do." Harry calmly spoke.

Dumbledore simply nodded and fell back, closing and sealing the doors behind him.

Harry walked further into the Hall. Moving closer to the girl, who was randomly spouting of fireballs by this point.

"I would suggest, Miss Owens, that you stop that this instant." Harry coldly spoke. Ice in his voice.

It had great effect as well. The girl stopped randomly firing of fireballs, and instead focused on Harry. Her eyes still vivid, crackling flames.

Harry fired of a Legillimency probe, but his probe got burnt to a crisp, only nanoseconds after being sent in.

"Very well Miss Owens, If you do not wish to cooperate, I see myself forced as to use my own powers." Harry spoke. Before pointing his right arm, hand in a fist, to the girl. Thus shooting of a small globe of water, using his elemental control.

Unlike earlier, when the professors had used wand-magic to try and extinguish the flames, Harry was using a far more powerful variety, elemental magic.

The girl, in her trancelike state, underestimated the potential of the small globe of water, it being no larger than a tennis ball.

When the sphere was only a meter away from the flames, Harry suddenly opened his hand.

The sphere expanded exponentially, suddenly reaching from wall to wall and being more than a meter thick.

The girl tried to act, but Harry's water wall collapsed over her and the flames covering her. Extinguishing them almost completely. The girl however, was not down just yet. She stretched out both hands to Harry, and an enormous stream of fire erupted from her hands.

Harry swiftly stretched out his arms as well, and fired of an even larger stream of snow and ice.

For a few seconds, it wasn't clear who was winning. But then Harry proved supreme, experience and skill proving invaluable.

When he paused, another five seconds later, the girl was lying knocked out, in a huge pile of snow.

Sending of a messaging spell towards Dumbledore, Harry levitated the girl and he covered them both in spells, before hiding in the shadows, next to the door. The girl shouldn't be seen right now, people might think he had done something Dark to her. That would be counterproductive to his goals.

As the doors opened, and professors moved in, swiftly starting to repair the Hall, Harry slipped through the doors, and through the crowd of students. Levitating the girl above everybody.

He'd have to take her to the Hospital Wing, she was probably magically exhausted.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

After having taken the girl to the Hospital Wing, Harry had gone to the Great Hall, which had been repaired by now, and had placed his name in the Goblet. After having spoken to Draco, Neville, and Cedric for a few minutes, he had gone to Dumbledore's office.

Albus would probably wish to discuss this with Harry. They hadn't been able to talk after yesterday's events either.

So having arrived at the door to Dumbledore's office, Harry simply walked in, drew up another recliner, this one being completely black. Harry didn't feel like making an effort right now. He wasn't very happy, and everybody was allowed to know.

Dumbledore didn't even speak, he simply held out a bowl of Lemon Drops. Taking one, Harry simply waited for Dumbledore to say what he had to say.

"Miss Owens is a completely untrained fire elemental. She is well known for her fiery temper and she has unlocked her full potential. She is a danger as keeping her under control is extremely difficult if she loses control. Of course, she will not lose control as bad as she did today again, but even so, I daresay that if she loses control, the risk for casualties is unacceptably high." Dumbledore calmly spoke. Not showing what he was planning. And Harry didn't like that.

"As we have no means of restoring her elemental ability to dormant, she will have to be trained,"

Uh oh, Harry didn't like where this was going...

"So, we need somebody who is capable of training an elemental. The only elemental currently at my disposal,"

Fuck. He was going to say it.

"Is you, Harry. I am forced to ask you to train Miss Owens in her abilities, to ensure that no innocent students get hurt." Dumbledore finished. He looked beseechingly at Harry. The headmaster really wanted Harry to train the girl.

"Albus... She's a _fire_ elemental, and I'm an _ice_ elemental! In case you hadn't noticed yet, those are not exactly compatible elements!" Harry spoke up. He wasn't intent on having to train an annoying Gryffindor who was probably too stubborn to believe Harry anyway.

"Harry... please." Dumbledore spoke. The twinkle in his eyes being non-existent right now.

"Can she pay for it?" Harry asked coldly. At Dumbledore's surprised look, Harry continued,

"I'll be sacrificing a lot of time which could be spent practicing for the Tournament or otherwise improving myself. I am offering something nobody else in all of Great Britain can offer. And you want me to do so for free?" Harry was honestly shocked at Dumbledore's earnest look.

Harry simply sat back and waited for an answer.

"No, Miss Owens cannot pay for it. She is Muggleborn, and she is being aided with school funds already." Dumbledore calmly spoke, still looking at Harry in a hopeful way.

Silence... Dumbledore and Harry simply looked at one another. Dumbledore hoping to get Harry to say yes, Harry hoping to get Dumbledore to drop it.

Harry lost, damned puppy eyes.

"Fine. I'll do it. The girl's schedule will have to be adapted to into my own planning though!" Harry finally barked.

"And you'll explain to me how you are capable of looking like a kicked puppy when you're more than a hundred-and-fifty years old!"

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><p><strong>I'm done for now, do leave a review and tell me what you think. Hope y'all enjoyed.<strong>

**Buh-bye,**

**Signing of,**

**Peeves' best friend**


	15. Je parle français!

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!**

**HELLOOOOOO! CHAPTER 15! Me likes! ****I would like to thank everybody for their reviews, alerts and favorites. Oh and for your hits as well. In this installment, we get the choosing of the Champions. And we get the results of the first battle of Hogwarts. I aim to please and I hope you will all enjoy another installment of Harry Potter and the Elemental Changes! ENJOY THE CHAPTER!  
><strong>

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!**

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><p>Rumors were speeding through Hogwarts at the speed of sound.<p>

By now, everybody was aware that Rachel Owens had burned down half the Great Hall, before she had somehow disappeared out of the Great Hall before anybody could see her again. The teachers had only reentered the Hall, after the Ravenclaw Fourth Year, who had changed the Great Hall into an ice palace, had gone in and had extinguished the fire.

By now, his roommates had identified him as Harry Potter. His name was still being spread though. It would take another two hours before the last of the uninformed students would discover his name.

Everybody was sitting in the Hall, eagerly awaiting the selection of the champions. Despite the earlier fire, everything had been repaired and all students that were planning on participating in the Tournament had placed their strips of parchment in the Goblet.

Harry had already sneaked in under some charms, not wishing to be watched just before his selection. It would be more fitting if he appeared out of nowhere once his name came out of the Goblet.

As everybody was already there, it was quite a surprise when the doors swung open.

Ah, it was Rachel Owens. The girl was already back on her feet and conscious. Rather impressive really, Harry had thought she would be out until at least tomorrow morning.

Everybody was staring at her, the girl shuffled to the Gryffindor table and she sat down between Max and the Weasel. They both shuffled a bit away from her. Based on how the girl's shoulders sagged, she had noticed.

On second thought, most of the Hall was looking at the girl in fear and anticipation. As if she could burst into flames every second.

Then, Dumbledore stood up.

"I believe the Goblet is ready to announce its decision!" Dumbledore announced, his clear voice resounding through the Hall. Although it was unlikely any others noticed, Harry detect a hint of anxiety in the wizened old wizard's voice. Dumbledore had a lot riding on this after all. If Harry didn't get chosen, any plots to get to Max, would be noticeably more easy to achieve.

Everybody turned to the goblet. The flames turning more lifelike, and growing larger.

A dead silence hung in the Hall. The events of the past afternoon temporarily forgotten.

Then, a small slip of paper shot out of the Goblet. Dumbledore caught it on its way up, not even waiting for it to start its descent.

"Beauxbatons, Fleur Delacour" Dumbledore's voice reverberated around.

Ah, the part-Veela stood up. So her name was Fleur Delacour, Harry would have to remember that, in case he felt horny at some point during the year. The other Beauxbatons students were clearly not so very pleased with not being chosen. The Veela made a few arrogant waves to the other students, before walking to the front of the Hall, and walking into a side door at Dumbledore's sign.

Everything quieted down, and attention was once again turned to the front.

Another piece of paper. Dumbledore's hand shot out again.

"Durmstrang, Viktor Krum" Dumbledore once more called out.

Krum stood up, waited for the abrupt applause to die out, before thrusting out his fist to the heavens, and bellowing out: "DURMSTRANG!"

Immediately, all Durmstrang students started cheering and applauding even more enthusiastically whilst Krum walked up to the front, following after Fleur.

As everything turned silent once more, attention was restored to the front.

The third piece of paper. This time, Dumbledore was clearly more anxious, he waited for the piece to drift down to eye-height, before he finally grasped it out of the air.

"Hogwarts, Harry Potter" Dumbledore spoke. Only Harry took note of the relieved sigh that Dumbledore let go immediately afterward.

Harry dropped his charms, before standing up. The applause wasn't very enthusiastic. Deciding that wouldn't do, Harry pulled out his wand, and waved it around once. Fireworks erupted throughout the Hall. An enormous Raven flew around, as pillars in all the Hogwarts colors erupted in the air.

As Harry stood in the Hall, a Muggle song he had heard Dudley humming boomed through the Hall. It was called Satisfaction, by the Rolling Stones, if Harry wasn't mistaken.

He walked to the front, shook Dumbledore's hand, and walked through the door.

Harry walked into a small room, Krum was looking into the fire, just being his usual broody self.

Delacour was staring into the fire as well. Neither had taken note of Harry's appearance...

Excellent...

As Harry stealthily moved into position next to them, he shot of a few unnoticed trigger-based jinxes.

After another couple of minutes, the door opened again, this time much more audibly.

Ah... Max had apparently become a champion as well. The boy looked rather cocky though. He clearly thought he had been allowed to compete because he was the Boy-Who-Lived... Fool.

Finally, Fleur turned around as well. Noticing harry standing next to her, she correctly concluded he was the Hogwarts champ. Completing her turn, she noticed Max standing in the door.

"Do zey want uz back in ze Great Hall?" She spoke. Harry had to admit, when used on others, the accent was funny. The perfect combination of sexy and demeaning.

Max turned fire red.

"No! I am the fourth champion and I'm going to beat you all." He yelled.

Harry decided to contribute to the conversation as well.

"So, what school are you competing for? After all, I can remember quite clearly that Hogwarts, was called as a school, followed by **HARRY** Potter, not Max Potter. So I am honestly wondering how you got into this tournament." Harry spoke coldly. Not showing he had expected this all along.

"Duh, I'm the Boy-Who-Lived! I'm competing for myself!" Max spoke.

Before anybody could respond to that, the door flew open, and Maxime came bursting in. Other teachers followed her.

Before anybody could speak, Dumbledore pushed past everybody, and grabbed Max's shoulders.

"Max, did you enter your name in the Goblet of Fire under the school _Boy-Who-Lived_?" Dumbledore spoke. His eyes cold chips which had lost their usual twinkle.

"No, I entered under Hogwarts. Does it matter though? I'm the Boy-Who-Lived, as long as I can win the Triwizard, what does it matter if I'm not competing for Hogwarts!" Max yelled. He was clearly frustrated with all the people questioning him.

"Max, my boy, it is very important! If you did not enter under any other school then Hogwarts, we must assume somebody else entered you." Dumbledore spoke.

"Truly Dumbledore! This is ridiculous! Even if the slip read Boy-Who-Lived, this still gives Hogwarts an unfair advantage! The boy should clearly not be allowed to compete! Or we should give both Durmstrang and Beauxbatons another champion as well! And that is considering the boy is speaking the truth! He has already earned a reputation for his lies and boasting during the short time we have been staying here!" Karkaroff yelled, the Durmstrang Head sounded truly incensed. He got affirmative nods from all the foreigners that were present, and from Snape.

"I fear that won't work Igor, the Goblet cannot be relit until the next Tournament. Max will have to compete. Unfortunately, there is little to be done about it. I believe we will simply have to find a way to get Max out of the Tournament. Although I fear that won't work." Dumbledore spoke, looking questioningly at Barty Crouch as he finished. Skillfully avoiding the part about Max having a negative reputation.

"Indeed, when your name is entered into the Goblet of Fire, you willfully accept the possibility of entering a magical contract. Even so, we might have been able to do something, but the boy entered his own name under his own school as well, so we are completely bound by the contract. The boy will just have to compete. Now then Dumbledore, now that the tournament has begun, shouldn't the extra security detail be arriving any second right now?" Crouch gave his judgment, before switching the topic to something else.

"Indeed. It might be for the best if we were to finish up her as soon as possible. Harry, go to my office please, I will join you shortly to discuss your new Apprentice. Max, you might as well accompany me to greet the Aurors. If I understood correctly, James and Sirius had volunteered for Hogwarts duty.

Madame Maxime, Igor, I believe it best if you were to take your champions and go and enjoy their election. I believe your students might feel like celebrating as well. Barty, Ludo, feel free to enjoy the Hogwarts hospitality for a while longer. I will join you later, if you decide to stay. Now then, I believe I really should go and greet the Aurors." Dumbledore spoke calmly, before he swiftly moved out, corralling Max along.

Fleur finally seemed to realize exactly who Harry was, she shot him a terrible glare. Krum stalked out, Karkaroff walking next to him. Karkaroff was still fuming, judging from the furious Bulgarian he was spouting. Maxime came to Fleur, and laid a hand on her shoulder. Simultaneously speaking in French to Fleur,

"_Come Fleur, we should leave this inferior boy. You need your rest to show everybody exactly how talented you are." _ She spoke. Unfortunately for Maxime though, Harry was a rather well-read person. Amongst the books he read, there were plenty of books in other languages. This had lead to Harry learning French, Latin, Chinese and Gobbledygook. Although he was still studying Gobbledygook... Ah well, not relevant right now.

"_Inferior Madame? I believe others would consider that rude. Fortunately, I am aware of you being French, and thus having an enormous superiority complex. So, I forgive you. Also, Miss Delacour, I am aware of myself being rather dashing. But your infatuated looks are not going to have any effect, as you do not satisfy the requirements a woman must satisfy in order for me to be interested in her. Now then, Good night to you both."_ Harry spoke up, in fluent, perfect French. He even had the accent right.

Harry left the women with their mouths open. Bagman and Crouch, who were still standing in the room as well, looked quite stunned as well. Harry simply turned and left the room. If Dumbledore wanted him to go to his office, he'd do so. And hey, if Dumbledore took long enough, Harry might even be able to play a game of chess against William and Fawkes. William was the name the Sorting Hat had been given by Harry. William and Fawkes made a mean team when cooperating. The only way to beat them was by getting them to argue.

Ah well... Even so, it was always great fun in Albus' office!

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry was busily dodging Fawkes, who was most displeased with having lost to Harry on the chess board, when the office door opened.

"Ah, Harry... I had thought you would have realized how sore a loser Fawkes can be by now! Alas, it seems you simply cannot learn." Dumbledore spoke merrily, simultaneously saving his Lemon Drops tin from an incensed Fawkes. Dumbledore moved to his chair, and simply watched the merry go round for a few more seconds.

Rachel had accompanied the headmaster, she just stood in the door opening though, clearly unsure about what she was supposed to do.

Finally, Harry managed to dodge Fawkes whilst simultaneously grabbing him out of the air.

"Calm down you ruddy chicken or I'll freeze you so bad the North Pole would get shivers!" Harry yelled.

Only when Fawkes had calmed down, did Harry put him on his perch. When Fawkes looked as if he wanted to restart his attacks, Harry shot him an ice cold look.

"And I'll restrict your access to Hedwig!" Harry used his biggest threat. Fawkes immediately shrunk back, looking reproachfully at Harry.

"And the winner for tonight... Ladies and Gentlemen, give it up for... HARRY POTTER!" It was William who had been acting as the referee tonight, clearly visible by his new coloring, white and black stripes.

The portraits of former Heads erupted into applause, as those who had been rooting for Fawkes booed and complained. Dumbledore applauded softly as well.

"Congratulations Harry, with another victory, I believe that brings your winning streak up to an amazing 17 straight wins."

"Now then, I believe we should turn to the reason we are here. First off, congratulations on becoming Champion, we'll return to discussing and adapting our plan, once Miss Owens has turned in for the night. If that is agreeable with you at least?" Dumbledore spoke calmly.

"Of course sir. Now then, why are we meeting now, in the middle of the night, when I am rather sure that Filius is probably waiting for a chance to congratulate me? Harry replied in equally calm tones.

"I felt it would be best if we were to fully inform miss Owens of exactly what happened this afternoon in the Great Hall. Before anymore unfortunate mishaps take place." Dumbledore calmly spoke.

Before Rachel could pose the question she clearly wanted to ask, Harry simply continued his dialogue with Albus.

"Truly? You believe the girl to be powerful enough to have another outburst so soon? **I **needed 5 hours before I could use my powers after the initial unlocking!" Harry spoke. He was aware he sounded cocky, but then again... He was quite justified in his cockiness.

"Although you are quite correct in Miss Owens probably still needing some more time to recharge, I felt it unwise to wait any longer, as both you and I will have quite a busy day tomorrow." Dumbledore spoke, both had almost forgotten about Rachel's presence by now. Once these two got a discussion going, they could keep going for hours on end.

"Point conceded, but honestly! I have popular momentum right now, and you want me to waste it by sitting here and discussing the girl? I don't want to train her anyways, and now you choose an inopportune time as well! That's just not nice." Harry spoke. Before Dumbledore could react to that though, Mount Gryffindor erupted.

"Could somebody please explain what you are talking about! What do you mean training! I wake up in the Hospital Wing, and all I'm told is I was magically exhausted! And now everybody is looking at me as if I'm about to explode any second or something! And what power are you talking about! Why am I even here if you two are just going to talk to each other and argue with a phoenix anyways!" Rachel screamed, apparently, the girl was frustrated.

It was Harry who reacted.

"I believe you should remember your place, girl. You are talking to your Headmaster, and your school's champion. Some respect would not be misplaced." Harry's ice cold mask was back. From the corner of his eye, Harry could see Dumbledore reverting to his Headmaster persona as well.

"Harry is quite correct Miss Owens, we were having a rather stimulating conversation. Interrupting it like that does not earn you points. However, seeing as we do indeed owe you an explanation, we might as well postpone our discussion to a later date. Now then, Harry, shall you explain, or should I?" Dumbledore spoke, before turning to Harry.

"Seeing as I was not present for the beginning, and I haven't done any deep research like you, it would probably be better if you explained." Harry calmly reacted.

"Very well, Miss Owens, what is the last thing you remember before waking up in the Hospital Wing?" Dumbledore turned to Rachel now.

"Well... I remember everybody fighting in the Great Hall, and then I saw Max dodge a ball of fire, and then it hit me and then I felt it on my face and then I got really angry and then ... I woke up in the Hospital Wing. And I didn't have any burns, actually, I was feeling rather cold. I still am cold really..." Rachel spoke. Confusion clearly audible for even the most foolish of people.

"Ah, well, Miss Owens, when the fire hit you, your dormant fire elemental abilities were activated. You lost control of yourself after that. The fire spread over your body and grew with every breath. None of the students that were present, managed to extinguish the fire using various water spells, mostly Aguamenti charms. Then some professors arrived on the scene, by this point, the fire had grown so large that a banner that was hanging on the walls, had caught on fire, and the fire was rapidly spreading to the Great Hall. The teachers weren't capable of extinguishing the fire either. At least, not without seriously injuring you as well. So we decided to evacuate the Great Hall, and I used a Patronus to call for Harry. When Harry arrived, he used his *urk* *grfl*, ... Hmm... What's this? Ah of course, Harry, you haven't given me permission yet. I'm still under oath to protect your secret from Miss Owens. Would you be so kind my boy?" Dumbledore looked at Harry expectantly.

"You, Albus Dumbledore, are allowed to tell Rachel Owens, about my elemental abilities. You are not allowed to tell her about any of my other abilities." Harry spoke calmly.

"Thank you Harry, now then, Miss Owens, when Harry arrived, the Hall had been fully evacuated, and half the Hall was on fire. Harry moved inside, and used his own elemental powers, to extinguish your fire without harming you. Harry's element is ice, you see, so he simply swamped you in a storm of water and ice. After taking you out, Harry disillusioned you both, and escorted you to the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey treated you for your drastically decreased body temperature and for your magical exhaustion. You woke up a while later." Dumbledore finished his long monologue.

The girl looked completely baffled. The only thing she managed to get out, was a stunned and shaky,

"What?"

"You, fire elemental, lose control, burn down Hall, me, ice elemental, stop you, me hero, you weak. Me bring you to Potion woman. You good now." Harry grunted out like a caveman.

"You understand now?"

"What! I'm not stupid! You are! Bastard!" The girl yelled out, fury in every part of her expression and voice.

Harry knew what he was doing though. He was provoking the girl into flaming, without doing any more. So she would keep control whilst being covered in flames. Harry was hoping they'd be able to skip the denial phase.

"Girl stupid. Me man. Man smart! Girl listen to man! Man power! You silent now! You make me sandwich! We men, we talk difficult. You stupid! You no understand!" Harry continued on. Dumbledore made an affirmative grunt, already having caught on to the game Harry was playing.

And it worked like a charm!

" Why you! You... GIT!" She yelled. Simultaneously, her entire body was covered in small, orange flames.

Harry immediately acted, before the girl got more angry and lost control again.

"I'm sorry Rachel, I greatly respect you and I think you are very intelligent. Also, please take note of the flames which are covering your body." Harry calmly spoke. He sounded earnest, although it took him a lot of effort to say those things about a foolish, temperamental Gryffindor.

"Wait what?"Rachel spoke. Before looking at her hands. Before she could panic, Dumbledore interfered, eager on skipping the panic phase as well.

"And also take note that you are not hurt and that the flames are already dying out."

"Huh... Oh yeah. You're right. So I'm really a fire elemental? What will I be able to do? How can I use it?" A suddenly eager sounding Rachel said.

"Your tutor will explain all of that. Speaking of which, Harry, when are you available?" Dumbledore calmly replied to Rachel, after which he turned his questioning eyes to Harry.

"Monday, from 8.30 to 11.30 a.m., Thursday, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., we will eat during training. As it is Sunday by now, that means I expect to see Miss Owens at 8.30 sharp, in the Entrance Hall. One minute late, and you will find her another tutor. My time, unlike hers, is valuable. Now then, I plan on taking profit from euphoria and the effects of Firewhiskey on attractive, female Ravenclaw students, I'm kinda horny right now." Harry spoke, before leaving. Letting Dumbledore explain to Rachel that her tutor, would indeed be Harry.

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><p><strong>So, Chapter 15 is done. I hope you all enjoyed. I have some rather sad news though. In the next week, I'll be having six hours of driving class. Those hours are usually invested in hobbies, of which writing is one. So odds are my update speed will take a plunge in a negative direction. Also, loads of people have been asking about the Potters arriving on the scene, an opening has been made, with James being assigned to Hogwarts. Sirius too, actually. Please, pretty please with something delicious on top, no cherry though, I don't like cherries, pretty please, do consider leaving a review as I have found them to be the perfect inspiration and motivation to write. There are a few people whose reviews I'm always looking forward to. So, do please leave a review.<strong>

**Signing of,**

**Peeves' best friend  
><strong>


	16. Even Rocky needed training!

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!**

**Hi, chapter 16. Let me get this out of the way immediately: The Potters aren't in here yet! I am VERY, VERY, VERY sorry. This is just a kind of filler. Don't be angry! I had a bad day, you know! Second driving class, and I had a bloody accident! It wasn't my fault, but it still sucks. So, I have a free day this wednesday, so I might be able to get the impending Potter vs. Potter out of the way then. Also, thanks for all the reviews, alerts, favorites, etcetera etcetera. Please enjoy another chapter of HPatEC!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!**

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><p>Harry was finishing his jog around the lake. He still needed another five minutes to reach the doors. 8.22 a.m., excellent, he'd have time to calm down and regain his breath before Miss Owens tutoring was due to start.<p>

Ah... He'd have to find another topic to think about for these last five minutes of his jog. He'd be bored otherwise! Hmm... The face of the girl of last night popped into his mind... What was her name again?

Oh right! Liz Turpin, 7th year Ravenclaw, brown hair, pageboy cut. Nice butt and great boobs. A little bit shorter than Harry. Blue eyes with little grey flecks through it. The most attractive girl still available last night. Some had already left with their partners for the night.

Unfortunately, the seduction had been a bit too easy, to be truly entertaining...

_-FLASHBACK-_

_Harry left Dumbledore's office, as he closed the door, he could let Miss Owens let out a shocked "WHAT?"_

_Oh Albus, you were really amusing sometimes..._

_Anyways, Harry moved towards the Ravenclaw common room statue. Arriving there, he answered the easy riddle. Seriously, the last time he'd been challenged had been... 2 years and 184 days ago._

_Arriving in the common room, everybody who was still standing and awake, turned towards the entrance. Seeing Harry, everybody of the aforementioned people started yelling and cheering and applauding. The Quidditch Team's Beaters actually took Harry on their shoulders. After having received a Ravenclaw banner as his cape, Harry gave a very short speech. Very short._

"_I'm gonna win this thing! For RAVENCLAW!" _

_He hadn't needed more, as the drunken mob had reacted as if Harry had given a speech deserving of Lincoln or something. Funny really._

_Harry had swiftly searched the mob for a as of yet, unattached girl. He'd found Miss Turpin. She didn't have a guy stuck to her just yet, she was drunk, and she looked good._

_Walking up to her, Harry simply looked at her once, and said,_

"_Hey Becca." Of course, Harry was fully aware that wasn't her name, but this would work._

"_Uh, sorry, my name's not Becca, my name's Liz." She replied, surprised. Good, that meant she still had control of most of her upper brain functions._

"_Oh, I'm sorry, you look a lot like my ex, her name was Becca. I'm very sorry. I haven't seen her in a while you see, seeing as she took our breaking up pretty bad. I thought you were her and I thought I'd try and regain her friendship. Sorry for the trouble." Harry softly spoke. _

_The brilliance of this was that Liz would subconsciously develop the need to prove herself as better than Becca. Harry simply had to mention that Becca was a worthless lover at some point, and then ... Bingo!_

"_It's no problem!" The girl happily spoke, before starting off a long monologue._

_Then, Harry injected Becca being bad in the sack, which led too..._

"_... I really like guys who take the initiative! You know, the type of guy who simply sweeps you off your feet and carries you to his dorm!" Liz spoke huskily. _

_Well, that was sooner than expected._

_Harry leaned in,_

"_Oh... really? So you'd like it if I were to sweep you off of your feet and carried you to my dorm?" Harry huskily suggested, lifting his left eyebrow in a combination of a suggestion and a question._

"_Hmm... I don't think you'd be able to carry me all the way up there...Sweetie..." Liz reacted, acting as if he were a little boy._

_Harry couldn't let that slide of course. So he swept her up, and moved to his dorm. _

_And the rest... Is not fit for underage readers._

_-End of Flashback-_

Harry came up to the doors. Casting a freshening spell and a cleaning spell, Harry walked back inside.

He looked at his watch again. 8.28 a.m., Harry simply waited, simultaneously summoning a piece of bacon from the Great Hall.

As he ate, Harry waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Looking at his watch again, Harry noticed it read 8.43 already.

Hmm, Miss Owens was 13 minutes late. Perhaps she had misunderstood exactly how serious Harry took being late... Very well, Albus would have to find another tutor.

Harry turned, and was about to go and practice some advanced spells he'd read about, when he heard somebody yell,

"Hey! Where are you going?"

Ah, Miss Owens appeared to have arrived. Harry simply ignored her though. She was not just a few seconds late, no, she was almost fifteen minutes late. Unforgivable. So, Harry simply kept moving. The girl appeared to be running after him though. She kept yelling as well.

"Hey! Hey Potter! Wait up!" She yelled. Judging from the increasingly loud and fast footsteps, she was running now as well.

Harry simply kept up his brisk walk. He was going to the Quidditch Pitch. He'd told Albus the conditions of his cooperation, and the girl had ignored them. So that led to Harry not being bound to help the girl any longer.

As Harry kept up his walk, he heard the girl huff, and turn around. Just as she was about to continue her march though, Harry felt the telltale signature of Albus' magic. Hmm, it had a slightly warm and cheerful feeling. Probably a messenger Patronus then.

Harry heard Albus' voice resound over the grounds. Oh! It was the leader's voice! Albus was upset then! Great! He'd be picking Harry's side then! Harry cast an eavesdropping charm, so he would be able to keep listening, even as he kept up his brisk walk.

"Miss Owens! Harry and I both informed you that you had to be in the Entrance Hall at 8.30 sharp! Harry is a very busy person and has quite a busy schedule! Would you care to explain why you are late?" Dumbledore's voice boomed through the air.

Wait a sec... That sounded like a question. Had the old man found a way to really talk through Patroni? Harry would have to learn how to do that!

"I couldn't lose Max and Ron any sooner, sir." Rachel's voice softly replied.

Hmm, she had learned to show respect for Albus then. That was good, a good start at the very least.

"As I know Harry is listening in, I will let him deal with your punishment for ignoring us both. Now then, Harry, do keep in mind that miss Owens has an average physique for a fourth year girl, and that you have to adjust her regimen to that level." Albus' suddenly kind voice mentioned.

"Sure thing, Albus." Harry softly said. Using his magic to have his voice bridge the distance.

"She was thirteen minutes late though. You know how terribly crammed my schedule already is."

"Very well," Albus said, before Harry could feel the Patronus dissolve.

Harry arrived at the Quidditch Pitch at this point. Miss Owens would need a few seconds to arrive. He could prepare the Pitch then.

When Rachel arrived, Harry was sitting in the middle of the pitch, a thousand tiny snowflakes swirling around him. As Rachel approached, Harry spoke,

"Stay alive."

Before Rachel could question him, Harry made the snow crystals grow into a real hailstorm, the pieces of ice being the size of popcorn. Then, Harry made the hail fly in all directions, before slowly starting to pelt Miss Owens. The girl yelped in pain as the first pieces struck her, before pulling out her wand. As she tried to wave it though, Harry shot of a wandless, silent disarming spell.

Catching her wand, Harry levitated it and froze it into an ice block the size of a wand box, before putting the box in front of him.

"Only dodging and elemental fire."

Harry's voice was as cold as the ice whirling through the air. The girl kept yelping in pain and frustration. Harry was willfully keeping down the speed and the amount of hail shooting at the girl at any one time. She was still worthless though. At one point, the girl simply sprinted at Harry, hoping that he would stop firing hail if he ran the risk of getting hit himself.

Harry was too smart for that though. He simply used a wandless Porposo, focusing it through his legs, to lift into the air. Harry levitated at ten feet in the air and kept levitating there.

"You are not of the hook yet, Miss Owens. My time is valuable. You cost me thirteen minutes of that. In order to correct that, you must pay. This is your punishment. Use fire or dodge!"

Another five minutes later, Harry hit Rachel full on the eyebrow. Finally, the girl managed a small wall of fire that took out a hundred or so of the hail pellets.

Harry kept up his barrage. Eventually, after another three minutes, she shot out a ring of fire, her body being in the center, and it reached four feet high. That one took down approximately three hundred pellets. Thanks to striking Rachel and the ground, another five hundred pellets had been destroyed. This left only a hundred. Harry decided to finish things up. He concentrated the remaining hail into a single swarm, before shooting it at Rachel in a straight line.

Rachel actually seemed to realize the possible effects of being hit at high velocity by a hundred pieces of ice, and she managed to shoot off a small fire spear. Twenty pieces of ice managed to survive though, Harry decided to show mercy by slowing the last twenty pieces down to the point where they struck in a straight line in front of Rachel's feet.

"That, Miss Owens, was not good enough. Your dodging was bad, your control was terrible and your power was lacking. The only thing you did sort of decently, was that ring of fire. It was the only acceptable move you pulled during this entire excercise. I did things of that level when I was nine. All in all, your performance was pathetic." Harry's cold voice spoke. Harry softly returned to ground level.

"Now then, as I am not responsible for your physique, we will not work on that unless you are being punished. We are working on your elemental control. So, take a meditative position."

Unfortunately, Rachel seemed rather frustrated about something though.

"Are you mad! I'm bleeding and I'm bruised and your acting as if I just had to take a walk in the park! As if you're so much better! You haven't even shown anything yet! Just some fancy parlor tricks! I bet you're barely any better!" Ah, the girl was frustrated about having been injured.

"Miss Owens, we are not here to waste time on discussions. You are the student, and I am the tutor. Dumbledore himself decided that I was the most fit person to train you. If you object to that, by all means. I am not here because I want to be here. I am here because you are a potential danger to other students. That's all there is to it." Harry spoke. His voice below Arctic temperatures.

When Rachel failed to respond, Harry repeated his command. Rachel obeyed, all the while muttering about going to Dumbledore. Harry simply cast a Silencio on her.

"Now then, close your eyes. We will start with finding the center of your elemental power. In my case, I have two centers. My brain and my heart. Although those sound rather stereotypical, they are actually pretty unique. Most people have their centers in their hands. Some have them in their lungs or stomach, others have them in their feet. It depends from person to person, and from element to element. Do you understand this? You will obey with either 'Yes, Master' or 'No, Master', there are no other acceptable answers." Harry spoke, lifting the Silencio at the same time.

Having learned her lesson from being pelted with hail for half an hour, Rachel obediently answered.

"Yes Master."

"Very well, keep your eyes closed, and even out your breathing." Harry waited until he could hear her breathing having become deep and regular.

"Good, now, you will imagine a tiny flame. You will feed random thoughts and emotions into the flame... Good, keep feeding the flame. As you are a fire elemental, the flame will soon move to your center or centers. Tell me, where do you feel warm?"

"My mouth and my heart." Rachel replied.

"Good, now, stop feeding the flame, and extinguish it. Open your eyes." Harry calmly instructed.

"Miss Owens, your centers are mouth and heart. This stand for passion, and speaking your mind. You are a fiery and passionate person, who stands for what she believes in. Potential downsides might be being stubborn, not tolerating others and not thinking things through."

"You will be trying to feel your centers as soon as possible. Once you feel them, you will try to channel power through them whilst thinking of having a small flame hovering above your hand. The smaller the flame, the better. Once you succeed, you will maintain the flame for five seconds, before trying again. Do I make myself clear? If so, start your excercise now." Harry finished his explanation, and walked off. He would be damned if he was just going to sit around and do nothing.

Practicing spells was out of the question with a friend of his brother right there, so he'd have to settle for reading. As Harry summoned a book, he noticed a white shade following it. And behind that, a red shade followed.

'_Hedwig and Fawkes? I wonder what they're up to. Probably trying to discover if a snowy owl and a phoenix can have offspring!'_ Harry thought. It was rather amusing really, Fawkes was completely smitten with Hedwig, and Hedwig was Harry's familiar... And Harry and Fawkes were always arguing. Oh, sweet irony.

It turned out Harry was wrong though, Hedwig and Fawkes kept following his book. As Harry caught the book, the birds touched down in front of him.

After having a short staring match with Fawkes, which was swiftly interrupted by an agitated bark, courtesy of Hedwig, Harry turned to Hedwig. Fawkes trotted towards Rachel, softly trilling a song of encouragement.

Hedwig looked at Harry, and bobbed her head twice, before making a soft, slow combination of hoots and barks.

Harry simply looked at her. He was rather shocked really.

"You don't know if it'll work. You might get seriously injured."

Two hoots and an eager bark.

"I understand why you want to try. And I'd love to see the results as well! But what if something goes wrong Hedwig?"

A long stare followed by one encouraging hoot.

"Fine, I'll look up the ritual in my spare time. It might still take some time though. I'll need some materials and I'll have to do research. Okay?"

Hoot!

Hedwig happily let herself be petted by Harry for a few seconds, before gliding to Fawkes, only to whack him in the head with her right wing. A reproachful hoot, and the two were off again.

Harry simply opened his book and started reading...

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><p><strong>Chapter 16 is done! Hallelujah! Now, people are probably wondering what Hedwig and Harry were talking about. Hedwig hasn't played a major role in the story so far, but that's just because I didn't really have any ways to write her in. Harry and her are still close though. Also, this entire chapter takes place between 8.20 a.m. and 11 a.m., so we haven't seen a sober reaction of the crowd yet. That'll come later. Don't worry. Now, please consider leaving a review, and I'll see you all for Chapter 17 :), all right with that?<strong>

**Signing off,**

**Peeves' best friend  
><strong>


	17. Wands and Waffles, without the Waffles

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

**Sweet mother of God, finally! Chapter 17 has been finished! I now know what people mean when they say somebody has writers block. I knew what should happen in this chapter, but I simply didn't find a way to write it so that I would be happy with it. I'm still only mildly satisfied, but I really had trouble with this and I hope I'll be able to get back into the flow of the story now. I'd like to thank everybody for their reviews and favorites and alerts and views. It's what changes writing from fun, to addicting. I hope you will all enjoy the newest chapter of HPatEC!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

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><p>Having finished with training Miss Owens for the day, Harry had gone to the library and had done some research on Hedwig's request. And during the half hour he had searched so far, the only thing Harry had been able to conclude had been that it would take time. He didn't have enough free time as it was! He'd just have to research when he was supposed to be in History of Magic, or in Herbology.<p>

Harry closed the book and was about to move to another shelf, to find another book, when a flash of fire dropped a note in front of him. Picking up the note, the first thing Harry noticed was the slanted style of writing, which was a clear sign that the note had been written by Dumbledore.

"_Harry, I believe it is almost time for the Weighing of the Wands. The Weighing takes place on the first floor, east corridor, the door next to the portrait of Babelus the Bold. The Weighing starts in half an hour. Amongst those present, there will be a reporter of the Daily Prophet and the Auror pair Potter-Black. Other than them, it will be the four champions, Bagman and Crouch, the Heads of the competing Schools, and Mr. Ollivander."_

Harry banished the note, before picking out another book from the shelves. He still had some time to kill. And the sooner he got some results, the sooner he'd be able to get Hedwig of his back. She'd probably start nagging if he didn't give her something to work with soon.

.

.

.

Harry took a deep breath, mask firmly in place, before he used wandless magic to push the door open.

Harry walked into the room with calm, powerful and confident strides. As he entered, he immediately scanned the room.

It was a simple room, nothing special. Some chairs to sit on and that was pretty much everything there was to it.

Everybody was there already. Krum and Delacour were both seated on a chair, their respective Heads hovering in their immediate vicinity. Max was sulking, his father and Black next to him. The boy had clearly expected to be the last to arrive. But, Harry was far more important than the whiny brat, so it was only right for Harry to arrive last.

Mr. Ollivander, Crouch and Bagman were holding a calm conversation at the front of the room. Dumbledore was with them as well, simply listening in on the conversation, without really contributing. He had his mind elsewhere, it seemed.

And finally, the reporter for the Daily Prophet and a photographer were in a corner, quietly talking to each other, the reporter was hungrily watching Max. She was a blonde woman, somewhere around forty years of age. Hideously polished nails, obnoxious glasses, vivid robes. The only reporter that fitted the bill, and whom Harry could think of, would be Rita Skeeter.

Harry moved towards one of the free chairs, making sure he had plenty of space on either side of him, and paying extra attention to not getting close to Potter, Potter or Black. He had a feeling one of those three would lose his temper at some point. It was quite possible that all three of them would lose it.

Harry simply waited for the ceremony to begin. And that didn't take long, as the judges and the Heads moved to their chairs, and the pair of Aurors, who were supposed to ensure everybody's safety, took up supportive positions behind Max. What a great surprise! Honestly, who would have expected them to show partiality? Oh, that's right... Harry had.

Ollivander spoke up then, his old voice clearly audible through the now silent room.

"Hello everybody. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Garrick Ollivander, and I will be Weighing the wands today. Now then, who would like to go first?"

Everything remained silent for a few seconds. Then, Krum stood up.

"I vill." The hunchbacked Bulgarian muttered.

Handing his wand to Ollivander, Krum stood to the side, so that everybody would be able to see his wand. As was tradition of course.

After having examined the wand for a while, Ollivander broke the silence.

"Ten and a quarter inches. Sturdy, thicker than is usual and quite rigid. A Gregorovitch creation, clearly visible as the styling is somewhat simple, instead focusing on power and toughness. Hornbeam wood and a core of ... Dragon Heartstring."

At Krum's affirmative nod, Ollivander handed him the wand, before requesting Krum to use his wand, to show its working condition.

Krum conjured a dark bear, and had it roar, before banishing it once he received an affirmative nod from Ollivander. Harry didn't like that, his wolf had been rather unhappy at the close vicinity of an enemy.

As Krum returned to sit, Delacour stood up, as by unspoken agreement, seeing as she was the next one in line, if one started from the right. Maintaining this order, Max would be going next.

Ollivander had analyzed Delacour's wand rather fast. Judging it to be temperamental with a Veela hair as its core. Then, Delacour used a simple charm to shoot of multiple small pieces of firework, which kept zooming through the room. Harry simply ignored them, despite the fact that they were incredibly annoying.

As Fleur sat down, Max got up. Moving to Ollivander, he surrendered his wand, before moving to the side.

Ollivander took the wand, and carefully examined it for a minute.

"Mister Potter, I recognize all wands that are of my own make at sight, but this one has been grossly neglected! You should ensure that you polish it on a regular basis! Proper wandcare is an essential element to any wizard's or witch's life!" Ollivander angrily said, turning to Max to look at him as he tried to get his message across.

"Now then, onto the properties. Holly, nice and supple, Eleven inches. Phoenix feather as its core." Ollivander curtly finished. Before thrusting the wand out to Max, who took it, before turning his red face to the room, and letting of a simple Expelliarmus, which hit Black, pulling his wand from him. It didn't make it to Max though, and instead simply clattered to the ground at the halfway mark.

Of those present, only Dumbledore, Ollivander and the Potterx2-Black trio managed to keep any reactions to themselves. Krum and Karkaroff let out mocking snorts, and both Delacour and Maxime let out some derisive laughs. Skeeter and the photographer seemed disappointed, if anything.

Harry simply lifted his _right_ eyebrow.

Scrambling to get Black's wand, Max moved to his place, his face now even redder then before.

Both James and Sirius placed supportive hands on Max's shoulders.

Harry stood up and calmly walked to Ollivander, flicking out his wand and presenting it in one fluid move, before moving to the side and turning to face the room.

"Ahh, this, this is a wand that has been decently cared for. You would do well to take this as an example, Mr. Potter," Ollivander sniped at Max. The old man was no bad guy, but he clearly took not caring for ones wand the wrong way.

"Now then, twelve and a quarter inches, unyielding. Frozen birch reinforced with pine. As for the core, ... crushed fang of an Ice Dragon. One of my most powerful creations. Mr. Potter if you'd please?" Ollivander extended Harry's wand to him. Harry could see Mr. Potter finally realize something as well.

The dimwit had probably only just noticed that Harry was indeed his son. Deciding to provoke Potter into a foolish action, Harry took aim.

"Expelliarmus." Harry coolly intoned. He could have done it silently, but he, unlike the other three champions, was not foolish enough to show exactly how strong and proficient he was. Krum had shown a proficiency in Transfiguration, and silent magic. Delacour had done likewise in Charms, adding Focus Casting to the list, which basically meant she could make far simpler wand movements. And Max had displayed a preference for DADA. Although he had clearly overestimated himself.

Harry's spell flew true, swiftly disarming James Potter, and sending his wand into Harry's waiting hand.

Harry threw the wand back, simultaneously putting his own in its holster, and was about to sit down, when he saw a red beam of light come flying at him.

Swiftly dodging the Stunner, Harry levitated a chair into the follow-up petrifying spell.

Black was firing at him, clearly deciding to take Harry's disarming of Potter as an attack. Potter was about to join in, when Dumbledore powerfully spoke.

"Enough! Aurors, why are you attacking Harry? Explain immediately!"

Black and Potter both went red when they noticed that Harry didn't even have his wand out. It was Black who replied first.

"He Disarmed James!"

"And young Max did exactly the same to you, yet I do not see you firing any spells at him." Dumbledore coldly replied. Already making a clear distinction between Harry, and _young_ Max. Harry wasn't the only one who noticed though, he saw Skeeter scribbling furiously, and Karkaroff got a pensive look as well.

"But Max isn't a Dark Wizard professor! Surely you can understand that!" Black spoke desperately, clearly trying to get Dumbledore to see his point. If only he had a point...

"And neither is Harry, so your point is invalid." Dumbledore icily spoke. Clearly not happy with the lies Black was spouting.

It was Potter who replied this time.

"Of course he is, Professor! How else would he have gotten into the Tournament as the fourth champion!" Anger and desperation were clearly audible in Potter's voice.

Now, honestly, that just went too far. Harry would have to join the debate himself apparently. Moving over to stand next to Dumbledore, Harry icily spoke, making sure to show an appropriate amount of disdain as well.

"Pardon me? I fear you are mistaken, Auror Potter, I did not use Dark Magic to enter this tournament. I legally entered my name and was chosen as the Hogwarts champion. It is Max who was chosen by unknown means, as a champion for a non-existing school."

Potter went red immediately, Harry's files were updated with a status change, from _hotheaded, _straight to_ highly flammable!_ Then, Potter yelled,

"You lie, boy! You are Dark and Max is a true champion! You are worthless and dangerous! Dark scum!"

"Hmm... I disagree on all of your points. Also, I would like to inform you that you called me both worthless, AND dangerous... So, if I am worthless, and you still consider me dangerous... What, exactly, does that mean about your own skill?" Harry coolly replied, getting his intended result as not only Potter, but also Black and Max went to colors ranging from puce to deep-red. On top of that, he got amused snorts from quite a few people, and the sound of Skeeter's quill scratching even faster.

"Also, I have an entire Hall of witnesses to the fact that **I,** was selected as the Champion for Hogwarts, and little Max over there, was chosen as Champion for, and I quote, 'The Boy-Who-Lived'."

Potter started of a ten-minute tirade about Harry's darkness and lies and evilness and all other things, in the meantime, Harry calmly used some quiet summoning charms, to get the paper slips that came out of the Goblet, and to send a small message to Miss Skeeter, promising her a private interview later in the day.

When Potter finally ran out of steam, the foolish trio looked rather smug, as if they had just managed to prove something... They actually had proven something, and that would be that they were hot-headed, and prejudiced fools.

Harry simply took the paper slips, and handed them to Dumbledore.

"Albus, would you be so kind as to verify these slips as the original paper slips that came out of the Goblet of Fire, and to read the words, exactly as they are printed on them?" Harry calmly and politely asked Dumbledore, whose ever present twinkle had returned, after having disappeared when Harry had been insulted.

"But of course Harry. Now then, this one first I believe, _'Hogwarts, Harry Potter', _and this one reads, _'Boy-Who-Lived, Max Potter', _... has everyone heard clearly, or should I repeat it?" Dumbledore questioned, his twinkling eyes looking innocently at the room.

Skeeter's quill was scribbling so fast, it might actually burst into flames at this rate. Max and the Auror pair, were looking at the floor, they had been suitably humiliated.

As the silence lasted, Skeeter's quill came to a pause, and she let out a surprised gasp, when she finally noticed the small piece of parchment that Harry had sent her.

Searching eye contact, Skeeter gave a quick, affirmative nod to Harry, before returning to observing the events in the room. As the silence wore on, Dumbledore spoke once again.

"I believe we are finished here. Before I leave, would anybody care for a lemon drop?" The old man asked, eyes returning to maximum twinkle power. Harry had to fight to restrain his incredulous snort.

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><p><strong>Ay caramba, that was a very heavy birthing. It just wouldn't flow the way I wanted it to. Tell me how you feel about it, and if you find any holes or dislikeable things, point them out to me. The odds are pretty good that I'll change this chapter. Anyways, please leave a review and take a cookie on your way out. I promise that they have not been touched by the Weasley Twins, who are currently running rampant in my brain, as they have a one-shot they want me to write. I'm trying to get them quiet, as I don't want to be distracted from HPatEC, but I honestly can't make any can't have a cookie unless you leave a review!<br>**

**Signing of,**

**Peeves' best friend  
><strong>


	18. The Daily Bugle, err Prophet!

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!**

**Hello, Chapter 18! Great huh? Yeah, there really ain't much happening in this one, but it's important to the story. Now, I know part of this isn't new, but hey, I wasn't about to rewrite it, when the original would do fine! Now, thanks for reviews, alerts, favorites, views, hits, etc. OH! And PM's! Also, sorry for the delay, but you know what it is, with Easter gradually drawing closer, so are exams. And driving classes have been upped to 5 a week! SICK! Now, please, enjoy the next chapter of HPatEC! (I'm also very sorry for the lack of humor in this one. It just didn't fit in.)  
><strong>

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><p>Although Dumbledore had tried to get everything tied up quickly, there had still been some photographs from the champions and judges. Fortunately though, there had been no more altercations. Now, everybody was leaving. So Harry moved towards Miss Skeeter.<p>

"Miss Skeeter. If you would like to, I am willing to give an interview considering the tournament and what you heard here today. I do demand the right to proofread any potential publications. I want three percent of the paper's profits, for the day when my interview is published. Do we have an accord?" Harry's voice was as cold as the Arctic, and as hard as a piece of ice in that same region. His face was like a frozen mirror. Completely emotionless.

Skeeter looked at Harry pensively. She would be doing a counteroffer, probably.

"Two percents, and I get artistic freedom."

"Two percents, and I **WILL **get to check the article, it will not be printed without my permission." Harry smoothly returned. He put enough pressure on the 'will' though, to ensure that Skeeter would agree. This was the offer Harry had planned to do originally, but the argument with James had ensured that he could start higher.

"Deal. Now then, Harry. The first question my readers would like to have answered: Are you a Dark Wizard? And if not, why does the public believe you are?" Skeeter asked hungrily, greed glinting in her eyes.

Harry knew how to get her on his side though.

"Well, Rita, I may call you Rita, right, Ms. Skeeter?" Harry asked, making sure to inject just a hint of suggestiveness. Rita would feel flattered. Harry felt filthy, but he needed the press on his side for future confrontations.

At Rita's eager nod, Harry continued.

"When Voldemort," Rita shivered, "Please Rita, Voldemort is simply a name. Fear of the name only increases fear of the thing. I do suggest you publish that actually, the more people start calling him Voldemort, the more power he loses. Now then, when Voldemort attacked the Potters on Halloween, 1981, he did not survive, physically. According to popular rumor, it was because of something Max did. The boy himself claims that he used his pure magical power to catch and rebound the Killing Curse, and to sling it back. I will not officially disagree."

"When Voldemort disappeared that night, I will repeat, disappeared, I do not believe him to be completely gone, Max was laurelled as the next hero of the light. He became the 'Boy-Who-Lived'. My parents, decided that Max was more deserving of their attention. Therefore, they decided to drop me of at my maternal Aunt's house."

"Of course, they needed a valid excuse to prevent being crucified by the public for abandoning one of their sons. So, they claimed I had absorbed the Dark Magic that was in the air, after Voldemort disappeared. They said, that if I were to spend some time in a magic free environment, I would be freed from the Dark Magic, and I would be able to return home."

"Unfortunately, my parents didn't want me to return. If one were to do some research, using the Daily Prophets of the past thirteen years, he would be able to see that the way my parents described me, grew gradually worse. Also gradually postponing the time of my supposed return, until they finally started saying I shouldn't be allowed to return, because I might harm Max."

"That, Rita, is the reason I am now seen as a Dark Wizard. If I were to make you another suggestion, I would suggest researching a few of those past Prophets, and quote a few lines. My point will be easily seen."

"Next question?" Harry politely asked, finally having finished his long answer.

"Yes, Harry, you seem to have quite a different point of view from your biological family, what is your version of events of the choosing of the Champions?" Rita interestedly asked.

"Well Rita, I do indeed have another version of events. And I, unlike Max and James, have hundreds of witnesses."

"Now then, this is what really happened: ..."

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry had finally finished his interview with Ms. Skeeter, it had taken a rather long time. After finally having explained everything about his Dark Wizardness and the Triwizard Tournament, Harry had been asked to tell his version of events considering first year, second year and third year.

Having come clean for both first and third year, Harry had used the publically acceptable version for second year, telling Skeeter that some unknown force had taken care of the Basilisk, and that Harry had simply located the Chamber and had put some clues together.

Finally, Miss Skeeter had even asked him if he could confirm that parts of the Great Hall had been burned down by a student, and whether or not he had been involved. Harry had simply said that it was not his place to discuss that, as he was not part of school staff, nor was he culprit or victim.

Rita'd be sending him a version later in the evening, Harry would proofread it and send a version with some demands and corrections back. Miss Skeeter would stay in Hogsmeade, so she would get that version at 9 p.m. she would send another version at 9.30 p.m. Harry would once more proofread, and probably give the go ahead for printing in the Daily Prophet of the next day.

And the ball would start rolling then.

Now then, he had to do some personal training.

TO THE QUIDDITCH PITCH! HARRY AWAY!

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry was finishing his lap around the lake. He'd be going to breakfast in a few minutes. He'd finally given clearance for the article at 22.38 p.m., the Prophet would be arriving in half an hour. Draco and Neville had actually joined him for his morning routine, though both felt it necessary to shower, and neither had Harry's condition. So they had simply done two laps around the Pitch, before heading back in again to take showers in their respective dorms.

As Harry pulled up to the doors, he sent a messaging spell combined with a stinging hex, to Miss Owens. She had to practice her flame summoning exercise for half an hour today. Harry would be keeping track through a simple spying hex on her tie.

Now then, breakfast! How about bacon and eggs?

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry was just finishing up his bacon, when Cedric came into the Hall. Spotting Harry, Cedric moved to Harry, and sat down across from him.

Harry didn't react, he simply took another piece of bacon and ate on.

After a few minutes of silence, Cedric finally spoke.

"Congratulations on becoming champion."

"Thank you."

"You train... Don't you?"

"Yes."

"I want to train alongside you."

"What do I get out of this?"

"What do you want?"

"Allies."

"Deal."

"I run in the mornings, one hour before breakfast, thrice around the lake. I do some other exercises at the Quidditch Pitch from 4 till 6 p.m., research in the library during free periods."

"I'll join you whenever I don't have anything else scheduled."

"Very well."

Harry returned to his breakfast, taking another piece of bacon. After another couple of minutes, Draco and Neville showed up, Draco having polished his cane again. Harry hadn't come clean about that in his interview with Skeeter. It was for the best if people didn't know who Draco's mighty ally was.

As the four started a conversation, well, the three, with Harry commenting once in a while, the Hall started filling up. As it was a Tuesday, most people came in at the regular times for breakfast.

The Hall having filled up, Harry turned to the owl entrance. His friends looked at him questioningly. Harry didn't say anything though, he simply waited. As the other three were about to turn back to their conversation, Hedwig flew in. A Daily Prophet clutched firmly in her talons. The other owls were nowhere in sight.

Hedwig silently landed in front of Harry, immediately snatching a piece of bacon, which Draco was just reaching for. Harry simply petted her and untied the paper. Opening it, he rapidly scanned the article to see if Rita had made any major, unpermitted, changes, only to find that she hadn't.

Casting a notice-me-not charm around himself and his three companions, Harry throws the paper onto the table.

"You may read that now."

Whilst Neville grabbed the paper from right under Draco's nose, Harry checked the Hall for any important absentees.

Max and friends, check. Albus, check. Snape and Flitwick, check. Auror pair, check. Foreigners, check. Himself, check. Hedwig, check. His friends, check.

Satisfied, Harry simply waited for the mail to arrive. This would be interesting, to put it mildly.

After another couple of minutes, the owls started arriving. Neville, Draco and Cedric had finished the article, and all had their hands near their wands. Harry was reading, acting as if he hadn't a care in the world. Hedwig was on his shoulder, reading along. This was, after all, part of the research she had asked for.

As owls started landing, the chattering slowly quieted down until the entire Hall was silent, engrossed in reading the front page of the Daily Prophet.

-POV CHANGE-

Rachel looked up as she heard Hermione gasp. Her best female friend was staring at the Prophet in her hands incredulously.

"What is it 'Mione?" Ron's muffled voice came, out of a mouth filled with half a pancake and a some scrambled egg.

Instead of reacting, Hermione simply read the article to her friends:

'_THE BOY-WHO-WAS-SENT-AWAY, by special correspondent Rita Skeeter._

_Dear readers, I was at the Weighing of the Wands ceremony yesterday, as it is a traditional part of the newly reinstated Triwizard Tournament, and it is an event which should be reported. For more information on the Weighing of the Wands, pg. 9._

_However, the real shock did not come from the wand-weighing, rather, it came from the first contact in __**thirteen**__ years, between James Potter, and his abandoned son, Harry Potter._

_Now, I should start from the beginning, before Harry is seen as the bad guy in this situation, without our readers having all possible information._

_During the Weighing of the Wands, the following people were present: Fleur Delacour, Beauxbatons champion; Viktor Krum, Durmstrang champion; Harry Potter; Hogwarts champion; Max Potter, 4__th__ champion, entered as the Boy-Who-Lived; Auror pair Potter-Black; Judges Crouch and Bagman, and school Heads Maxime, Karkaroff and Dumbledore. Weigher of duty: Garrick Ollivander. _

_When both the foreign champions had had their wands weighed, Max Potter got his turn. For more detailed explanations, I once again refer you to pg. 9. When Max had to demonstrate his wand's working ability, he shot an Expelliarmus at Auror Black. It was underpowered and fell to the ground halfway between Max and Black._

_When Harry had had his wand weighed, he too turned to the crowd, and fired of an Expelliarmus at James Potter. Having used enough power, the wand deftly flew into Harry's hand. He immediately threw it back, simultaneously holstering his wand, and moving to sit down, when he had to dodge a stunner and then a petrifying spell from Auror Black. _

_This is what transpired immediately afterwards:_ (**THIS IS ALMOST LITERALLY FROM CH17!**)

_As Harry had taken cover from Black's aggressive actions, and James Potter was about to start cursing as well, Dumbledore powerfully spoke._

"_Enough! Aurors, why are you attacking Harry? Explain immediately!" _

_Black and Potter both went red when they noticed that Harry didn't even have his wand out. It was Black who replied first._

"_He Disarmed James!"_

"_And young Max did exactly the same to you, yet I do not see you firing any spells at him." Dumbledore coldly replied. Already making a clear distinction between Harry, and young Max. Harry wasn't the only one who noticed though, he saw Skeeter scribbling furiously, and Karkaroff got a pensive look as well._

"_But Max isn't a Dark Wizard professor! Surely you can understand that!" Black spoke desperately, clearly trying to get Dumbledore to see his point. If only he had a point... _

"_And neither is Harry, so your point is invalid." Dumbledore icily spoke. Clearly not happy with the lies Black was spouting._

_It was James Potter who replied this time._

"_Of course he is, Professor! How else would he have gotten into the Tournament as the fourth champion!" Anger and desperation were clearly audible in Potter's voice._

_Now, clearly, that went too far. Harry was forced to join the debate now . Moving over to stand next to Dumbledore, Harry icily spoke,_

"_Pardon me? I fear you are mistaken, Auror Potter, I did not use Dark Magic to enter this tournament. I legally entered my name and was chosen as the Hogwarts champion. It is Max who was chosen by unknown means, as a champion for a non-existing school."_

_James went red immediately, and he yelled,_

"_You lie, boy! You are Dark and Max is a true champion! You are worthless and dangerous! Dark scum!"_

"_Hmm... I disagree on all of your points. Also, I would like to inform you that you called me both worthless, AND dangerous... So, if I am worthless, and you still consider me dangerous... What, exactly, does that mean about your own skill?" Harry coolly replied, getting his intended result as not only Potter, but also Black and Max went to colors ranging from puce to deep-red. On top of that, he got amused snorts from quite a few people, and the sound of Skeeter's quill scratching even faster._

"_Also, I have an entire Hall of witnesses to the fact that __**I,**__ was selected as the Champion for Hogwarts, and little Max over there, was chosen as Champion for, and I quote, 'The Boy-Who-Lived'."_

_James then started of a ten-minute tirade about Harry's darkness and lies and evilness and all other conceivable things even potentially dark. When James finally ran out of steam, James, Max and Black looked rather smug, as if they had just managed to prove something... They actually had proven something, and that would be that they were incapable of rational thought and logical debate when it concerned Harry._

_During James rant, Harry had summoned the original paper slips, as they came out of the Goblet of Fire._

_Harry simply took the paper slips, and handed them to Dumbledore._

"_Albus, would you be so kind as to verify these slips as the original paper slips that came out of the Goblet of Fire, and to read the words, exactly as they are printed on them?" Harry calmly and politely asked Dumbledore, whose ever present twinkle had returned, after having disappeared when Harry had been insulted._

"_But of course Harry. Now then, this one first I believe, 'Hogwarts, Harry Potter', and this one reads, 'Boy-Who-Lived, Max Potter', ... has everyone heard clearly, or should I repeat it?" Dumbledore questioned, his twinkling eyes scanning the room. _

_I do not know about you, beloved readers, but I am personally appalled by the behavior shown by James Potter, Max Potter and Sirius Black. I had a private interview with Harry later, in which he answered some questions concerning his __**alleged**__ darkness, his adventures during his education, his lonely youth, and the strained relationship with his brother, who sees Harry as You-Know-Who's heir._

_For my private interview with Harry Potter, pg.2_

_For a deep investigation of the lies of the Potters, over the past thirteen years, pg. 4_

_Weighing of the Wands, pg. 9_

_Max Potter, Boy-Who-Lived? Or Boy-Who-Lives-A-Lie?, pg. 7_

In the dead silence that followed, Rachel spoke,

"Well... That isn't good."

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 18 IS DONE! Now, please, please, please, leave a rev... Wait, that sounds whiny. I'll try again: Do please leave a review, as they are much appreciated and they give inspiration and motivation. Also, to those who review, if you have disabled PM'ing, then I won't be able<strong> **reply, seeing as I do not plan on filling entire disclaimers with review replies. Either give other means to reply to you, or do not expect a reply. That'll be all for now. I have decided to award Belgian chocolates for those who leave a review, and a real Jupiler for those who leave a review and are of age. You may take one on your way out of the review room. Do enjoy our beloved Belgian delicacies and I'll see you during our next installment of HPatEC!**

**Signing of,**

**Peeves' best friend**


	19. Tis a fickle thing, the public

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!**

**Hellllloooooooo! Long time no see. And I am very sorry. Unfortunately****, the story ain't exactly flowing. My exams are done, and my results weren't completely terrible. They were still bad though. Anyways, driving class has finished as well, and I can drive on my own for the next year and a half. Thanks for the reviews and the alerts and the favorites and all that. Also, I read this great story about Harry having a twin and going to Durmstrang without being abused or disfavored. I thought it was great. It appears to be abandoned, but I would still like to advise everybody to read it. It's written by Santi5 if I'm not mistaken. Anyways, enjoy another chapter of HPatEC! :)**

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><p>"Well... That isn't good."<p>

Max sat on the bench, his face a blotchy red. Ron sat next to him, he didn't even seem to realize the significance of everything they had just read. Hermione flipped to page two, and started reading the next article. Max and Rachel were about to jump up, to storm to Harry no doubt, when Hermione hit them both with muttered petrifiers.

"Max, we are going to read ALL the articles in the Prophet that concern you, Harry or your parents, and then you are going to make sure that you can refute all of his points. Then, and only then, are you going to confront him." Hermione's voice crisply spoke. She had been something of an agent for Max, ever since first year.

Once Max calmed down, Hermione undid her spells on both him and Rachel. The three, and Ron, then turned to the Prophet. Doing their best to ignore the rapidly increasing whispering which was sounding throughout the Hall. Clearly, many people were shocked.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Albus was calmly enjoying his breakfast, when the Daily Prophet arrived. Opening it up, he calmly started reading. Most people seemed shocked by the articles today, but Albus had seen this coming.

It was only logical that Harry would strike when he had the momentum.

From the corner of his eye, Albus could see Max and Rachel Owens trying to jump up, but Miss Granger kept them under control.

Albus returned to his article. Miss Skeeter had finally written an article whilst doing some actual research. A refreshing change really.

Albus had just finished the last article in today's Prophet, when the doors to the Great Hall burst open.

James Potter strode in, angrily searching the Ravenclaw table for Harry. Sirius was a step behind him.

Spotting Harry, James marched over with Sirius hot on his heels.

"Boy! How dare you besmirch the Potter name like this! You will have these lies retracted at once! I won't stand for these lies of yours!" James angrily shouted.

"Lies? I fear you are mistaken, Auror Potter. I have yet to read a single lie in the Daily Prophet of today, of course, one has to take in account that I have only read the articles on pages one, two, three, four, five, six and nine. I largely agree with the ideas and suggestions mentioned on pages seven and eight as well. " Harry calmly replied.

"Yes these are lies! We are good, upstanding members of society! You are a foul Dark Apprentice who cursed the Goblet of Fire to falsify the results! Max should have been the Hogwarts champion but you changed it into the Boy-Who-Lived to make him seem arrogant! Max is a good wizard and the true champion! And we didn't send you away to spend more time with Max! But because you are dangerous! You are Dark and we hoped a period of time with the Dursleys could heal you, but it turned out that we were clearly mistaken. So you had to stay with them and you didn't heal clearly, because you still used Dark Arts on the Goblet!" James' angry tirade sounded throughout the Hall.

Then, he seemed to have something of an epiphany.

"You know what, we clearly have to keep you away from all magic, even Hogwarts. Albus! I hereby retract Harry from Hogwarts and all funds which have been paid for the remainder of the year to be restored to my account at Gringotts."

Albus didn't say anything, he simply stood up and calmly walked down the path between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. When he arrived at the site of the discussion, he softly said,

"I believe, James, that this is a discussion more fit for a private environment."

"Nonsense! I want you to restore the owed funds, and you might as well brake his wand as he doesn't have the funds for education. You are the Chief Warlock after all." James cockily spoke, Sirius happily smirking behind him. Max had a mile-wide smile on his face as well.

Heaving a sigh, Dumbledore spoke, "James, I fear you are slightly mistaken. Although you would be correct, that if Harry did not receive any education, his wand should be snapped. Harry is receiving education. Now, if you were to be the one paying for his education you could indeed stop his education. But Harry is paying for his own education, as you haven't paid even a single Knut for him in the past thirteen years. Therefore, you can't recoup any funds and you can't stop Harry's education."

At James' stunned silence, Harry swiftly spoke.

"Now then, Auror Potter. Would you please care to let me return to my breakfast? I suggest you read the Prophet carefully and objectively and you will notice that I did not lie at any point whatsoever."

Harry simply turned back to his breakfast. Dumbledore looked at James for a few more seconds, before turning around and walking back to the Staff table.

"This isn't over yet boy! You won't get away with this!" James angrily hissed before turning around and leaving.

Harry could honestly say he was surprised by the lack of violence. He'd been counting on at least one duel. Ah well... Max still had to confront him, and Max would take his ginger sidekick with him.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Neville, Cedric and Draco used the distraction provided by James leaving the Hall, to slip back to their own House tables. After all, they were needed to get a feel for the public's opinion of the Prophet.

Neville settled down in the middle of the Gryffindor table, and he decided to eavesdrop on the Weasley twins. Other than Max and his friends, the Weasley twins were the only Gryffindors likely to convince anybody of their opinion. Their eccentric friend Lee Jordan was with them as well.

The boys didn't speak, they were still reading the Prophet, meticulously combing through the articles.

"So... Who do you believe guys?" Lee Jordan finally questioned his redheaded compatriots.

"Well, it is-"

"-rather peculiar that-"

"-the unknown Potter-"

"-finally speaks up."

"But you have-"

"-to admit,-"

"-that his version-"

"-perfectly fits the known-"

"-facts. And his story-"

"-is more credible-"

"-than the load of tosh-"

"-Maxy-boy and Ronniekins-"

"-would have us-"

and then the twins finally finished their annoying twinspeak and spoke together,

"believe."

Neville needed a few seconds to fully understand exactly what the twins had said, but apparently, Lee Jordan didn't have that problem.

"So, do we spread the word or do we keep quiet?"

"Lee, my boy-"

"-the truth will set chaos free-"

"-and we are chaos' most trusted advocates!"

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Draco had an easy job, ensure that the Slytherins would hate Max, a Gryffindor, more than Harry, a Ravenclaw... That ought to be easy.

Sitting down near some seventh years, Draco listened as Rosier mockingly spoke up.

"So... the Potters messed up again, boo hoo hoo."

Although most would think that the Slytherins didn't care, Draco could detect the slightest hint of emotion.

Clearly, the Slytherins were rather displeased with the hidden history of Harry, and the fact that they, Slytherins, hadn't even had the foggiest.

They wouldn't support Harry, ... But they disliked Max much more than Harry, so they wouldn't oppose Harry either.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Cedric didn't really know why he even had to go to the Hufflepuff table, as the Hufflepuffs surely wouldn't stand for the despicable acts of the Potters? Nevertheless, he sat down at the table, and apparently, most students were indeed upset. He could hear Ernie Macmillan from 20 seats away.

"This is awful! I can't believe Max and his parents would do something like that! They should be ashamed of themselves! I don't really now Harry, but in four years, he hasn't once done something dark, and now they claim he used dark magic to fool the Goblet of Fire? Preposterous!" Ernie's incensed voice carried over the Hufflepuff table.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry calmly waited, the moment James left, furious whispering broke out. And if he judged correctly, he had a majority of the Ravenclaws on his side at the very least. Logically, they would research and trust authorities. In the battle of public opinion, Harry would have them on his side. He might not like them, and they might not talk with each other much, but they would see that he spoke the truth.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

All in all, Harry was rather pleased with the reactions of the student population. There was no way of knowing how the public had reacted outside of Hogwarts, but in Hogwarts itself, he had three quarters of the student population behind him, and a minority in Gryffindor as well. Now, he had to make sure that he made a lasting impression during the First task. Until then, he had research to do and training to undergo.

Now, he was busily searching many dusty, thick tomes, in order to satisfy Hedwig her demands. Honestly, he was only fourteen, but Hedwig was asking him to do something which might very well be impossible!

Women...

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><p><strong>So, Chapter 19 has been finished. I hope you enjoyed it. Consider dropping a review on your way out. Also, some feedback: What do you think I oughta do with the Weasley twins? They are smart and have great potential. I actually think it credible that would approach them for mutual benefit at some point. Finally, I know my last couple of chapters haven't been all that, and I'm trying to fix that. Now, have a nice day and I'll see y'all later! <strong>

**Buh-bye, Peeves' best friend.  
><strong>


	20. Caïn and Abel

**Hello, long time no see and all that blablabla. Peace 'n stuff. The next chapter is up, but it's very short, sorry for that. Hugs, kisses and ****cheese**** from Peeves!**

**AN: I don't own Harry Potter! Okay mates?**

Harry was busily combing through tomes, when he heard an annoying yell.

"Harry!"

Turning around, Harry was faced with the glowering faces of Max Potter and Ronald Weasley. Hermione and Rachel were present as well, but they at least didn't have their wands drawn.

Lifting his left eyebrow, Harry simply looked at the wands that were pointing at him.

"You know, you really should be careful with that, you might poke someones eye out." Harry coolly stated.

"You think you're real tough huh Harry? You think you're a big fish because you were elected as a champion huh? Well think again! You're nothing special! Just some unknown nobody with a few party tricks up his hat! I want you to retract your statements! Even if you were placed with the Dursleys when we were younger, that was for the best! You didn't need to love in our shadows and mom and dad didn't have to find solutions for you when there were public events. Retract your statements and we can go back to living normal lives. You don't belong in the higher circles. You're no Heir, no Apprentice, no Lord, not Rich, not even in Gryffindor for crying out loud! You're part of the masses, accept that and stop trying to make a name for yourself by besmirching ours!" Max yelled, finally losing his temper.

Still, his reasoning might have been somewhat sound for someone who didn't know exactly how capable and intelligent Harry really was.

Sighing mentally, Harry calmly replied, "Max, I will not retract my statements. However, I don't feel like fighting a war here. I'm actually willing to cut you a deal. I won't make any extra statements concerning our family's past, and in exchange, you and yours will stop calling me a Dark Wizard at every single opportunity. We'll behave cordial to each other and leave it at that. Hogwarts doesn't need this infighting. How does that sound?"

Harry had carefully worded his deal though. He wouldn't be allowed to speak of their family's past, however, everything which had transpired in the past 15 years still influenced today, so that wasn't truly in the past yet. It was an unfinished chapter. So Harry could come back on his part at any one time, if that were ever necessary.

Max actually seemed to think this over and lowered his wand. Ronald reluctantly put his wand down as well.

"So... A ceasefire?" Max asked, doubt and hesitancy were clear in his words and posture. Max was clearly considering Harry's proposal. He knew it was probably the best he could get. Still though, there was one opinion he required before making the call.

"Hermione?"

"I think it's the best you can get Max. Though I want Harry to amend his part. He won't just stop talking about the past of your family, he'll also keep anything which might be harmful to you or your parents quiet." Hermione slowly replied, clearly analyzing every little part of this conversation.

_'Damn. I won't be sneaking any major holes in like this. Hmm... Unless... I have to keep it quiet. So that means __**I**__ can't announce it to the world at large. But if I just tell Neville or Draco, then they aren't bound by this deal... Score for team Intelligent!'_

"Deal" Harry said, calmly putting out his hand. He wouldn't be invoking any magic, as the point might still come when it would be beneficial to come back on his word.

"All right, deal." Max also stated, grasping Harry's hand and shaking it once.

_'Hmm... Well, it would have been too much to actually have some trust huh? Ah well. File for later thought.'_

Their deal having been made, Max and his friends left, Weasley heatedly arguing with the other three. He clearly didn't trust Harry. Still, Harry couldn't help but notice Rachel's absence from the actual discussion. Sure, she had been standing there, but she hadn't spoken up even once... Weird.

_'Ah well, back to the books... Now where was I? Bloodmagic, Familiar magic, Mythical animals, Famous bonds of wizard and familiar, The Magic of Magical Animals, ... That's it!'_

Harry jumped up and briskly marched to the Owlery. Waving his wand once to send all the books back to their shelves. He had a meeting with a certain snowy owl...

~~~Scene Break~~~

Elsewhere, a old man stepped out of his pensieve. Sitting down behind his desk, he muttered to himself for a few moments before turning to his familiar.

"It seems, old friend, that I might have made a mistake some fourteen years ago.

**Friends, another chapter done. Sorry for the shortness. Now, I am also looking for volunteers who would like to make a cover for this story. If you're interested, let me now in a review and we'll work something out. I am not willing to pay or anything, just so you know. Also, please leave a review if you feel like it.**

**Signing off, Peeves'**


	21. Ritualistically Realised Rituals

**HOLLA, I have returned with a real chapter! Aw yeah! I am pretty pleased with this one actually. Now, for those who didn't read the small chapter under the petition, I suggest you go back and read that first, as this picks up minutes after Chapter 20 left off. I would like to thank my reviewers for the motivation they provided, and of course my inspiration, for finally returning to me. Really, it's much appreciated, Inspiration. Now, I proudly present to you, Chapter 21! *Applause***

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!**

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><p>Harry slammed the door to the Owlery open. Briskly marching in, he noticed there were no other students present. Spotting his familiar perched on the highest perch in the room, he beckoned her down.<p>

"Hedwig, I found a way. We'll do it on the grounds, on the far side of the lake. That's far enough away from the Durmstrang ship and not too close to the Forbidden Forest. I need you to go and get Fawkes if you could do that please. Albus can come as well, if he wants to and has the time." Harry softly spoke.

Getting a soft hoot, Harry let Hedwig fly off before turning on his heel and marching off again.

"_Let's see... Hedwig and Fawkes, check. Me, check. A silver knife... In my trunk. Blood replenishing potion, Hospital Wing. Neville and Draco? Unnecessary._

Finishing his internal summary, Harry set of to the hospital wing. His trunk was open and the window to his dorm was open as well, so he could simply summon the knife once outside.

Arriving at the hospital wing, Harry walked in and checked for Pomfrey. Not spotting her, Harry smoothly summoned a blood replenishing potion, and walked out again. He'd give Dumbledore a few Galleons to restock the hospital wing. No reason to feel guilty.

Walking out the doors and onto the grounds, Harry noticed the few students braving the chilly October weather to take a walk outside. There were even a few people playing Quidditch. And if Harry wasn't too terribly mistaken, those red-headed boys were Fred and George Weasley who seemed quite busy hexing the book bag of some unsuspecting seventh year Slytherin.

Turning, Harry walked to the far side of the lake. Simultaneously raising his wand to summon his silver knife. Surreptitiously looking around him, Harry subtly cast a low-level Notice-Me-Not charm. It should be enough to keep out anybody not looking for him. So Dumbledore, Fawkes and Hedwig would still be able to meet him here.

Looking around, Harry used an Incendio to burn away all the grass within 5 meters of his position. That should suffice for what he was planning. Digging a circular hole, a meter wide and a meter deep, in the middle of the circle, was easily managed with some simple Diffindos and a Leviosa.

Turning around, Harry caught his knife, putting it in his pocket, he turned back to his hole, filling it with frigid water.

Now, Harry had to wait, the other parts of the ritual had to happen without interruption if they were to have any chance at succeeding.

After a few minutes of stressful waiting, although Harry would never admit that, Fawkes and Hedwig finally showed up. Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen.

"Albus busy then, Fawkes?" Harry questioned. He had to admit he was somewhat curious as to Albus' absence.

Fawkes simply trilled an affirmative tone.

"Fine by me, let's get started then." Harry spoke decisively.

Making a small ice disc, he placed it in the middle of the waterhole. Hedwig perched on it without any further prodding.

"Fawkes, if you would be so kind, two tears into the water please." Harry said.

When Fawkes didn't move, Harry entered a staring contest with the phoenix until it finally did as asked.

"Excellent, now then..."

Harry left the circle, beckoning Fawkes with him.

Taking out his knife, Harry smoothly made a cut in the vein on his wrist. Letting the blood pool into a swiftly conjured wooden bowl. Wood was the best magical conductor after all.

Waiting for a full five minutes, and having taken his blood replenisher already. Finally, when the bowl threatened to overflow, he finally allowed Fawkes to fix him up. Walking around the perimeter of the circle, Harry let a nice and steady flow of blood stream onto the ground. The goal was to get a thick circle of blood to cover the perimeter of the burnt ground. Completing his lap, Harry waved his wand over the wooden bowl, dividing the blood into four globs of blood. To the north, Harry drew the sign for ice, fitting the Northern Winds. The East and West both received the sign for bonding, symbolizing a continuous bond for both night and day. Finally, the South received the sign for fertility, as it was the South were not only humans, but also magic had first spawned.

Going to stand at the northern sign, just outside of the circle of blood, Harry started to chant.

"Take my blood as your blood, take my magic as your magic, take my love and nurture it. Accept our bond and foster it. Accept the Phoenix's love and return it. Accept my life and lighten it. Ice for our element, bond for our love, fertility for love and spawn. Become as you should be!"

Hedwig remained rooted to her icy perch as Fawkes firmly gripped Harry's shoulder with his talons.

Repeating his chant, Harry raised his hands and started to pour magic, snow and ice into the circle.

It soon became impossible for Harry and Fawkes to see Hedwig, as the swirling snow and the bright flashes of pure magic made the center of the circle invisible. With a loud crack, Harry's Notice-Me-Not charm failed. Not having been strong enough to conceal this kind of magic.

Inwardly swearing because of his oversight, Harry kept up his chant, increasing his speed, making the words almost ineligible. Although Harry couldn't see it, focused as he was on the ritual, all other activities had stopped, and many were moving towards the flashes of light they could see on the far side of the lake.

Krum was perhaps the most noticeable. He had been in the crow's nest of the Durmstrang ship. The Durmstrang champion showed why his reputation as a Seeker was well-deserved, with a spectacular dive out of the crow's nest, he summoned his broom and took flight to the flashes of light on the far side of the lake. He would be the first to arrive.

Swiftly changing into Latin, Harry kept chanting faster and louder as well. Fawkes took flight and started singing a song of power and triumph, circling above the spectacle of light and snow.

Pumping even more magic into the circle, Harry started to feel the effects of the draining ritual. A crackling sound could be heard now, the wild magic in the circle wildly clashing with the boundaries containing it. The only way the magic could go was up, drawing together huge, dark clouds in the sky. Krum had arrived now, dubiously looking at the sky, he touched down some twenty meters from Harry. Not willing to go any closer. Harry kept going and slowly levitated off of the ground himself.

Hovering half a meter above the ground, with a flashing, blue and green aura around him, Harry made quite the intimidating sight.

The swirling in the circle got even more intense, up to the point where it became impossible to see anything, all that could be seen was a white screen with even brighter flashes behind it, crackling sounds, which were oddly reminiscent of lightning, the only other clue as to what might be going on in the circle.

Suddenly, as Harry finished his chant, a piercing cry could be heard coming from the circle. Pure power and magic were contained within. The crackling stopped and the snow and the magic surged inward. Other students were arriving now.

For a second, a small, white silhouette could be seen in the circle. Then, another piercing cry, immediately followed by a huge bang, the snapping sound which signaled the circle cracking, and a flash of magic and snow, racing away from the center. Harry remained standing only because Fawkes flew behind him and held him upright.

The surrounding students were not quite so fortunate. Many were thrown to the ground.

When Harry's sight returned to him, the first thing he did was looking at the center of the circle.

But Hedwig wasn't there. Panicking heavily, Harry looked around manically for a few seconds, before a proud cry sounded from the sky. Looking up, Harry spotted his familiar.

Hovering in the sky, Hedwig proudly cried again, drawing all eyes.

Hedwig was now the same size as Fawkes, but she was pure white, with crystal blue tail feathers. Under her wings, small blizzards were whirling. Smoothly flying down to Harry, Hedwig landed on his shoulder. Leaning her head against him, Hedwig softly crooned.

Harry softly petted her and murmured, "I'm never helping you with something like this again. Too terrifying."

A softly crooning Hedwig simply looked Harry in the eye, expressing her gratitude quite efficiently.

Seeing that Harry was occupied, Dumbledore, who had finally showed up some time during the final minutes, spoke to Harry's captivated audience.

"I believe Mister Potter and his familiar would appreciate some privacy. I would suggest everybody go get some dinner as it's quite late already."

Although quite a few people seemed ready to protest, a piercing look from Dumbledore sufficed too get the masses to start moving to the Great Hall. The ritual would be the hottest topic of talk, at least until the First Task. Hopefully, Ms. Skeeter wouldn't fabricate some article and would wait until she could interview Harry.

Turning back to Harry and the mythical birds, he spoke again, the twinkle in his eye unmistakable.

"My congratulations Harry. An incredible piece of magic indeed. I believe you won't be able to enjoy your dinner in the Great Hall tonight, as everybody seemed a bit, ah, excited about what you did here. Would you mind joining me in my office for dinner?"

"I would like that indeed Albus, as I know for a matter in fact that my familiar will be otherwise occupied tonight. And I strongly doubt you will be able to count on Fawkes' company tonight as well." Harry replied, humor in his voice.

Hedwig seemed to find the situation less funny, as she hit Harry in the head with her wing, quite firmly as well.

"Sorry Hedwig."

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Neville and Draco were sat at the Ravenclaw table, as they always did, even though Harry wouldn't be joining them tonight. Enjoying their dinner, they managed to ignore the frenzied muttering throughout the Hall.

Neville broke their companionable silence, "Not that I didn't enjoy the show, but what exactly did Harry turn Hedwig into anyway?"

"I honestly don't know," A still baffled Draco replied, "I don't think that species even existed before today... It's clearly related to a phoenix somehow, but what it is exactly? I don't have the foggiest."

"Well, we'll just have to come up with a name by ourselves then, won't we? How about Articuno?"

"Or what do you think of Igle?"

"Or maybe..."

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><p><strong>Like it or hate it but you can not debate it. You CAN leave a review though. Actually... I would like that a lot! Now in other news. I need a name for this epic ice bird creature thingy Hedwig has become. So give me some ideas and the lucky winner gets his name permanently used to describe Hedwig. The Runner Ups may look forward to being mentioned in this interesting discussion between Neville and Draco. Also, if you have a specific preference for which character you would like to mention the name you suggest, tell me. Options are Neville, Draco and Dumbledore.<strong>

**Now then, please leave a review and go and enjoy yourselves, it's FRIDAY :D:D**


	22. First Task!

**Hello, Chapter 22 is now online! In this one, Hedwig is named, and we FINALLY reach the first task! So yeah, I'm pretty proud at reaching this milestone. I would like to thank everybody for reading, alerting and most importantly reviewing. Keep that up chaps. Now, enjoy this chapter and please leave me a review.**

**AN: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

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><p>"Or how about a Kingfisher? That sounds impressive!" Neville proposed.<p>

"Too common, what do you think of Caladria? A male would be a Caladrius then!" Draco countered.

"Meh, not great. How about a Fenghuang? Sounds mystical, right?"

"No. Don't like it. An Anivia?"

"No. How about..." Neville paused, looking for more names.

Draco remembered something about once having read of a bird somewhat like Hedwig. It was from Arabian mythology. He closed his eyes and tried to recall it, whilst Neville just kept gambling.

"Cryophoenix! Oighear! Avis Glaciei! Kori! Ru-" Neville offered, only to be interrupted by an excited Draco.

"Zumrud-u Anka! It's from Arabian mythology, a phoenix not of fire, but of ice and water. It fits perfectly, and it's unique and mystical!"

"Hmm... It does sound pretty impressive. We'll propose it to Harry than?" Neville pondered.

"Yes, after dinner." Draco calmly replied.

"Oh, alright." Neville spoke, before turning to the tray of pork, "Pass me that, would you?"

~~~Scene Break~~~

"You are aware, Harry, that the first task is in two days?" Dumbledore spoke, whilst cutting his lamb.

"Sure I am, so I'll recover tomorrow, using my privileges to leave school, of which I hereby officially inform you, and then the task will be a piece of cake. I do wonder what the task is though. It's a good thing I support fair play. Because I doubt Karkaroff and Maxime do."

"Well, although you are probably correct, your brother knows as well. Hagrid showed him."

"Oh? Well then, I'll make sure to act highly offended by the lack of surprise my opponents will be showing when the task is explained officially."

"And what do you hope to gain with that, Harry?" Dumbledore questioned, looking wonderingly at Harry.

"Public favor. I have a strong feeling Skeeter will pick up on our reactions to the explanation of the task somehow. If I come out as the only one who didn't know, and I still do well in the task, I'll be seen as the disadvantaged good guy. Play the victim a bit."

"I see..."

~~~Scene Break~~~

Harry had left Hogwarts the next day, and he had used the Floo in the Three Broomsticks to travel to the Leaky Cauldron. From there, he had taken a cab to Smeltings. As the task was on Thursday November 24th, this meant it had been a Wednesday when Harry arrived at Smeltings. After asking around for a few minutes, he had found Dudley in the school gym. Practicing on the heavy bag. As it was a Wednesday, Dudley had the afternoon free.

Harry and Dudley had sparred for three hours. When they had finally finished, both had been battered and bruised. Whereas Dudley would have to heal naturally, Harry had gotten some bruising salve from Madam Pomfrey. He'd been fixed up before he was out the door.

Then, Harry had purchased a map of the region, and looked for the nearest forest of decent size. Having found one, he had gone there and he had ran for hours as his wolf. He'd left the forest at 6.32 p.m., he had then returned to the Leaky Cauldron and had used the Floo to return to the Three Broomsticks. There he had eaten, after which he had returned to Hogwarts so he could go to bed at a decent hour.

Now, Harry walked down to breakfast, fully rested and mentally calm.

Settling down for breakfast, Harry was immediately joined by Hedwig. Those few who were already in the Great Hall, looked up, fascinated by the beauty of Hedwig's new form.

Looking her in the eye, Harry and Hedwig shared a mental conversation for at least fifteen minutes. During which more students came trickling into the Great Hall.

Eventually, just as Neville walked into the Hall, Hedwig took off again. Harry took some bacon with scrambled eggs, wearing a happy smile. As Neville sat down, he immediately noticed Harry's happy look.

"You look happy. Care to share?"

"Hedwig claims she's pregnant. How she can be so sure, I don't know, but I did detect life in her. So that's pretty great. And I'm pretty confident in the Task. Judging from the fact that both Delacour and Krum look pretty calm, it can't be too horrible." Harry calmly explained.

"What do you mean the look calm? What does that have to do w-" Neville started, only to realise where Harry was going with this, "They know!"

"Do keep quiet Neville, you are drawing attention to us. And yes, they know. As does Max, but he isn't here yet, so I can't use his expression in my conclusion. And good morning to you as well Draco." Harry explained, calmly greeting Draco who he saw approaching from the corner of his eye.

Grumbling, Draco sat down. The Malfoy heir had never been one to rise graciously, he was more of an evening person.

Calmly returning to their breakfast, the three friends quietly spoke of unimportant topics. Trying to ignore the growing tension throughout the Hall.

~~~Scene Break~~~

Seeing the tent flap open again, Harry looked up to see the final champion enter the champions tent. Now that Max had joined them, all those of importance were present. These included the three champions, the five judges, Skeeter and her photographer, and their counterparts from quite a few countries throughout Europe. Finally, the Auror security and some family members from three of the four champions were present. Harry almost felt lonely.

Taking a deep breath, Harry turned to Bagman, who was opening his mouth to draw everybody's attention to him.

"If I may have your attention please. I will explain the first task to the champions. Now then, in this bag," Bagman held up a purple bag, "Are four differently coloured, miniature eggs. Blue, Red, Green and Black. The egg you select, is your target for this task. These four eggs will be in the arena behind me. Each egg will be guarded by... a DRAGON!" Bagman exclaimed.

For a second, even Harry was surprised, "A dragon? Are you serious?" Harry called out, barely managing to keep his voice down.

Remembering his plan, he looked around to the other three champions.

"Why aren't you guys shocked by this?" He questioned, playing his role of the ignorant hero to the max.

As the other people present started looking around, Krum and Delacour both rembered to put on their shocked masks. They weren't very convincing though. Max didn't even try, as he knew that would have been pointless.

Seeming to come to a realization, Harry looked around. Pointing his accusing stare at Krum and Delacour, who were the closest together, he spoke, "You guys knew? You knew! Who told you? I should have known you are just a cheap bunch of _**cheaters**_!"

Harry's accusation rang through the tent. For a few seconds, all was silent. Then, the reporters flew into action and flashes of photographs flew through the tent.

After allowing this chaos for a couple of seconds, it was Dumbledore who restored order.

"Enough! Thank you. Mr. Bagman, if you would be so kind as to finish your explanation, please. Questions can wait until after the First Task has been completed."

Ignoring the angry mutterings from the reporters and the relieved faces of Krum, Delacour and Max, Bagman spoke, "Yes, quite right. You will all be competing simultaneously. You may cooperate with other champions or fight them if you so wish. You are not allowed to touch any of the other eggs. You can fight or aid the other dragons."

"Once you leave the arena, with or without your egg, you are not allowed to return. The egg is essential for your success further on in the tournament. Dark magic is forbidden, the only things you are allowed to take with you, into the arena are your wand and the clothing we have provided. What you do after that is up to you. Good luck." Bagman finished his monologue before holding out the bag.

"Any volunteers?"

Seeing the hesitancy on the other champions, Harry stepped forward. Putting his hand in the bag, he asked the one question he still had.

"How do we know which dragon is guarding is guarding which egg?"

Pulling out the black egg, Harry questioningly looked at Bagman.

"The egg has the same color as the dragon you will be facing."

"Thank you, sir," Harry spoke politely.

Stepping back and sitting down, Harry watched as Fleur pulled out the green egg. She looked very relieved, and Krum looked grumpy. The easiest dragon perhaps?

Then Krum stepped up and he pulled the red egg. With a neutral face, Krum stepped back to allow Max to draw the blue egg.

"Excellent! The champions have selected their eggs. Good luck to you all, and may the better wizard or witch win!" Bagman jubilantly exclaimed. As the reporters started leaving, Harry noticed Bagman beckoning to him. Ignoring the fat has-been, Harry closed his eyes to think of a strategy whilst he still could.

Slowing his breathing, Harry tried to slow the world around him. Just as he tried to enter his deeper mind, his own Hogwarts, he was interrupted.

"You didn't know?"

It was Max who had voiced what the three champions had been thinking.

Opening his eyes and sighing internally, Harry looked up, "No, no I did not."

"Why not? Why weren't you told by Dumbledore? You two are close." Max spoke, only a slight hint of jealousy in his voice.

"Dumbledore believes in fair play and I couldn't be bothered with finding out on my own. Unlike Karkaroff and Maxime apparently. And you were told by Hagrid out of friendship and personal loyalty. Now, could you please leave me be so I can try to come up with a strategy?" Harry calmly spoke. The slightest hint of impatience in his voice.

Closing his eyes again, he ignored the other three champions and tried to come up with a plan.

After a few minutes, Bagman walked back into the tent.

"Each one of you will start in one corner of the arena, if you would all please follow me to the first starting point?"

The champions stood up and followed Bagman.

At the first entrance, Krum went to stand at the gate. Delacour stopped at the second one and Harry tactically chose the third one. That way, Harry would have the largest threat, whom he considered to be Krum, right in front of him, with the less dangerous Delacour and Max on his flanks.

Waiting for the signal to begin, Harry quickly went over his plan again.

Opening his eyes again, Harry simply waited. The champions were allowed to start when their gates opened.

A trumpet could be heard and Harry saw his gate open. Calmly walking into the arena, Harry surveyed his surroundings. He could see all four dragons, on their respective nests, eying each other untrustingly. The dragons closest to Harry were a Welsh Green, on the side closest to Delacour. And on the side closest to Max, there was a Chinese Fireball. In the corner connecting Max and Krum, there was the black Hungarian Horntail. The dragon Harry would seemingly be facing. The final dragon, an Ukrainian Ironbelly from the look of it, was in the corner closest to Delacour and Krum.

So, Harry would have to get past the Welsh Green and the Fireball, to get to his dragon. Delacour had been lucky as she could immediately confront her dragon. Max and Krum both had to cross past two dragons to get to their own, like Harry. So they would be facing each other in the middle.

Harry started to move, casting some flame resistant charms on his clothes as he moved. Looking around, he saw that neither of the dragons was focusing on him. The Welsh Green was already facing Fleur, and the Fireball seemed to be staring down the Horntail, not paying any attention to the champions. The Ironbelly seemed content with laying on its nest and watching.

Casting a scent-neutralizing charm on himself, Harry sped up when he heard the Welsh Green roar threateningly. Delacour seemed to be getting down to business. Running through the opening between the Welsh Green and the Fireball, Harry could see Delacour putting the Welsh Green to sleep through two big rocks.

Deciding that this wouldn't do, Harry conjured two wolves. Enforcing them with some minor wards, he sent them to attack Delacour. Breaking her concentration, that would probably wake the dragon up. Looking in front of him again, Harry had to hastily weave through two Reductors and a Stupefy, courtesy of Krum. Before he could even return fire, Max appeared in the opening between the Fireball and the Horntail, opening fire on both Harry and Krum as well.

Hoping to avoid a threeway-fight, Harry decided to take a risk. Weaving through a few more spells, Harry faked getting hit by a Stupefy from Max, falling down as if stunned. Seeing this, both Krum and Max focused on each other.

Subtly casting a weak Notice-me-Not, which would last for a minute at most, Harry conjured a homunculus, which he made as identical to himself as possible, before disillusioning and silencing himself. Placing the homunculus in his place, Harry started sneaking past the duel between Krum and Max. Max was honestly keeping up better then could have been expected. Still, Krum was easily gaining control.

Deciding to interfere, Harry sneaked up until right behind Krum, and then he just had to wait. Seeing as the Welsh Green was still going strong, and Harry could hear one of his wolves still howling, Delacour hadn't succeeded yet.

Just as Krum finally hit Max with a Petrificus Totalus and an Incarcerous, Harry acted. Hitting Krum in the back with a silent Stunner.

Deciding Krum was still too large of a threat, Harry bound him and then levitated him next to Max. Binding the two with their backs against each other, Harry conjured a reinforced steel cage in which he put them both. Harry then started moving again.

The Horntail and the Fireball were now challenging each other through loud shouts and roars.

Deciding to utilize that, Harry sent up an enormous dust cloud between the two dragons, before shooting his strongest bolt of fire at the Horntail.

That still didn't get close to dragon fire, but he'd just have to hope for the best.

When the dust cleared, Harry saw the Horntail taking a deep breath, preparing to spew its fiery breath on the Fireball. The Fireball noticed this as well, taking a deep breath.

With a thunderous roar, both dragons released their flames.

Rapidly casting as many cooling charms on himself and the two unconscious champions as possible, Harry weathered the storm.

After a minute, the dragons stopped spewing fire to assess damage. Noticing the lack of result, the Horntail brayed loudly, before charging the Fireball.

As the two colossuses clashed, Harry charged forward. Racing to the nest, he noticed that he couldn't hear his conjured wolves howling any more. Picking up, Harry started sprinting back.

Unfortunately, the battling dragons made it impossible to leave the way he came. Seeing as the Ironbelly was looking at Harry predatorily, Harry knew his only remaining option would be leaving via the Welsh Green.

Turning, Harry resumed his sprint. Just as Harry reached the tail of the Welsh Green, he saw Delacour sprinting away from between the legs of a blinded Welsh Green.

Seeing the open target Delacour's back provided, Harry shot a multitude of stunners and other incapacitating spells.

Unfortunately, Delacour seemed to have pretty decent instincts, just before the first spell could hit her, she dived to the right, between some rock rubble. Knowing he wouldn't win this duel fast or easy without the use of some heavy duty spells, Harry simply sprinted forwards, whilst keeping heavy suppressing fire on Delacour's position. Shooting a Bombarda Maxima at the big rock behind which Delacour was hiding, Harry sprinted past her on her left side. Just as the Bombarda was about to hit, Delacour came up out of cover and shot multiple cutting and fire spells at Harry.

As Harry's Bombarda hit gold, Fleur was knocked off her feet by the flying shrapnel. Hitting her head painfully on a stone behind her, she got knocked out cold, mere meters from the finish line.

Harry had other issues though, namely the spells Fleur had fired. Deciding not to use his elemental abilities, Harry conjured a big marble slab to catch the cutters, and he used a flame-freezing charm to avoid getting burnt. Unfortunately, he missed the lowest cutter, as his marble slab was hovering above the ground.

Noticing the simple Diffindo at the last second, Harry tried to twist out of the way, he couldn't avoid getting a nasty cut on his right thigh.

Limping to the finish line, Harry raised the egg and finally noticed the cheering crowd which had been watching all along. Seeing as he couldn't hear them, they were clearly behind a silencing ward.

Crossing the line, Harry was bombarded by the sound of a cheering crowd and a yelling Bagman.

"**And the Hogwarts champion finishes first after taking an amazing performance! What an incredible show! With all three other champions currently knocked out, but Miss Delacour already in possession of her egg, who is going to take the second place? It looks as if Max Potter and Viktor Krum are waking up! Miss Delacour remains motionless! And- HOLY MERLIN! The Horntail is biting down on the Fireball's neck! If this keeps up, the Fireball won't be surviving! What a massacre!"**

That was all Harry could listen to, before being dragged into the hospital tent by an irate Madam Pomfrey.

"Honestly! Dragons! What were they thinking! Sit down Mr. Potter, let me see."

Pomfrey pulled up some privacy screens before having Harry strip down to his boxers so she could examine his thigh.

"Well, it's a clean cut. This should be fixed in no time at all." Pomfrey muttered before using a non-descript spell on Harry's leg.

Pulling out some salve, Pomfrey turned to Harry, ignoring Harry's rapidly healing wound. The process didn't look very nice, and it itched terribly.

"Apply this every night, right before heading to bed. For a week. That's it Mr. Potter, you are free to leave."

Walking out, Harry nodded to Dumbledore before walking into the stands to look for Draco and Neville, it would be nice to see how his opponents fared without Harry's interference.

~~~Scene Break~~~

"**The judges have deliberated and we are now going to hand out the scores."**

"**Having finished last, Max Potter faced Viktor Krum and Harry Potter in an early three-way-battle. Falling to the power of Krum and the cunning of his brother. Nevertheless, Max managed to cooperate with Krum to escape their steel prison, before facing the Ukrainian Ironbelly by summoning his broom and outmaneuvering his dragon. Judges, your points?" **Finishing his monologue, Bagman looked expectantly around, when none of the judges took the initiative, Bagman fired up a six.

"Well... That's pretty fair, right?" Neville spoke softly to Draco and Harry.

"A five would have been more like it." Draco spoke snidely, getting an agreeing nod from Harry.

Next, Maxime fired up a five, getting an appreciative nod from Draco.

Crouch went with another five, and Dumbledore gave Max another six. Standing at 22 out of 40, Max turned to Karkaroff almost reluctantly.

His reluctance was well deserved, as Karkaroff gave Max a three.

"**Max Potter scores 25 out of 50 on the first task. Having finished third, our next champion is Viktor Krum. Mr. Krum too participated in the early three-way-battle. Although Mr. Krum successfully took down Max Potter, he hadn't counted on Harry Potter's well executed trick. Once waking up from being stunned, Mr. Krum rapidly analyzed his situation and woke up the still knocked out Max Potter, before coordinating their escape from their cage and into a battlefield where not only a dying Fireball and a Horntail were fighting, but by this point the Welsh Green had already joined the combat as well. Mr. Krum managed to cooperate with Mr. Potter until they were both out of the immediate danger zone, before hitting Max with an Arresto Momentum. Stealing the egg, Mr. Krum ended mere seconds behind Miss Delacour. Judges, your scores?"**

Taking the lead again, Bagman fired of a perhaps slightly too high eight. Maxime was more realistic with a seven, a lead followed by both Crouch and Dumbledore. Karkaroff gave a ten, not even trying to hide his filthy smile.

"**Viktor Krum scores 39 out of 50 on the first task! Next up is our second place finish, Fleur Delacour! Miss Delacour had been perhaps the most fortunate of all champions, as she drew both the most peaceful dragon, she also had the shortest distance separating her from her egg. Trying to enchant her dragon into sleep, Miss Delacour looked to be the easy winner of today's task. Unfortunately for her, she hadn't taken her rival champions into account. Just as her dragon seemed to be dozing off, Miss Delacour had to break her spell to defend herself from two rabid wolves, courtesy of Harry Potter. The wolves proved slightly spell-resistant, resulting in a nasty bite in Miss Delacour's… ah… behind. Eventually succeeding in taking out the wolves and putting her dragon to sleep, Miss Delacour was then forced to duel a rapidly approaching Harry Potter, mere meters from the finish line. When Miss Delacour finally woke up after her duel with Mr. Potter, she barely managed to secure a second place before Mr. Krum crossed the finish line on the other side of the arena. Judges, your scores?"**

Bagman fired of another eight in which Dumbledore would eventually follow him. Maxime gave a nine, finding a supporter in Crouch who gave the same. Finally, Karkaroff gave a measly five.

"**Fleur Delacour also scores 39 out of 50 on the first task! And now, today's winner, Harry Potter! Mr. Potter started by conjuring two complete wolves, an amazing feat of magic, and that at age fourteen! Setting his wolves on Miss Delacour, Mr. Potter then faked getting knocked out by his brother, before profiting from the confusion and taking out two birds with one stone. Setting up his dragon against the Chinese Fireball, Mr. Potter could then simply walk up to the nest to steal his egg. Picking the only available exit, Mr. Potter caught up to a fleeing Miss Delacour before confronting her in a duel. Taking out a bravely fighting Miss Delacour, Mr. Potter escaped with only a single wound on his thigh, before finishing and taking first place. Judges, your scores?"**

Bagman fired of a ten, and Dumbledore mimicked this without a second thought. Maxime always acted as if she supported fair play in public, so she too was forced to give a ten. Crouch too followed this example. Leaving only Karkaroff, who gave a measly six, leading to massive outrage throughout the tage.

"**Harry Potter scores 46 out of 50 on the first task! This gives us the following standing: Harry Potter leads the pack with 46 points, followed by Victor Krum and Fleur Delacour, who both have 39 points. Finally, Max Potter follows on a small distance, with 25 points. This was the First task! The next task will be taking place on February 24****th****!"**

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><p><strong>Well, that was chapter 22. Thanks for reading. I hope you liked it. I am pretty pleased with the First task, although it isn't exactly epic, the original first task was pretty soft as well. Thanks for reading and please leave me a review. Later!<strong>


	23. It ain't no Pulitzer, but it's something

**Hello, how you doin'? **

**I'm good, thanks for asking. Oh by the way, I got Chapter 23 online! Yeah man, that's right, Chapter 23! We get the papers involved again. Cool right? I don't have that much to talk about really. Two more things, first of, thanks for the reviews, favorites and following. Second, if you're into role playing, check out this cool site: hogwartsvsdurmstrang. forumotion. com but without the spaces. It's a site for people who wanna RP in the Potterverse. I'm on there too. If you wanna now what my account name is, send me a PM or something. Anyways, enough fishing for more players. Enjoy Chapter 23!**

**DISCLAIMER: STILL DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER**

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><p>Leaving the stage along with Draco and Neville, Harry spotted a small army of reporters and photographers. Moving towards them, he managed to arrive mere seconds before Delacour, who had the opportunity as well. Giving a polite smile, Harry made his first verbal jab.<p>

"Ah hello Fleur, did Madam Pomfrey manage to heal your behind? I would apologize for getting you bitten in such an area, but it is basic animal instinct to go for the largest threat, and wolves do have rather sensitive noses, if you get what I'm saying."

Delacour went fire red and tried to give Harry a blast of her appeal, which of course failed. And several of the reporters had a hard time suppressing their laughter. The Bulgarian photographer didn't even try.

It was the infamous Rita Skeeter who spoke up first. Looking at Harry, she gave him her best attempt at a charming smile. Harry managed to repress his repulsed shiver.

"So Harry dear, how do you feel about winning the first task?"

"Well Rita, I am glad that justice has run its course here today. I am very proud of my victory and hope to be able of improving on today's performance. I was pleasantly surprised by the challenge the task provided, although I must admit to having been shocked when Mr. Bagman revealed the task to include dragons."

Rita immediately picked up on the subtle opening had provided her.

"Could you please expand on what you mean when you say that, and I quote: 'I am glad that justice has run its course here today,' because you make it seem as if there has been an injustice somewhere.

Smiling handsomely, Harry was aware of the cameras flashing. That one was going to end up on some bedroom walls!

"Well Rita, during the explanation of the task, I came to the conclusion that my rival champions had already been informed of the fact that they were going to be facing dragons. My first clue, was that all three were unsurprised in the slightest when Mr. Bagman unveiled the task's content. The second clue would be the fact that Miss Delacour seemed highly relieved upon drawing the green egg, whereas Mr. Krum seemed grumpy about Miss Delacour having drawn that egg. Finally, when the champions were alone in the tent, just before the task was set to begin, Max admitted to having prior knowledge, by asking me if I truly hadn't known. This leads me to believe that Max at least had assumed that **all **champions had been informed, which should be seen as a redeeming element considering his involvement in this affair. Despite this disadvantage, I still came out victorious, which I see as justice having run its course."

Although Harry's evidence was not by any means solid, and he had no proof of Max having questioned him, he knew Rita had smelt a scoop.

Rita rapidly turned to Fleur, and started firing questions at high speed, "Miss Delacour, why did you cheat? Did you plan on dishonoring this age old tournament? Do you feel guilty about your deeds? Will you apologize formally? Did you know that Viktor Krum and Max Potter were cheating as well? Would you have been able to perform as well today without your prior knowledge of the task?"

Delacour tried to reply several times, but Rita kept up her barrage of questions until Maxime finally arrived.

"What is the meaning of this? Why are you harassing my student?"

With all due respect to Madam Maxime, when Rita Skeeter gets rolling, there is hardly a force on this world capable of stopping her.

"Madam Maxime, where you aware of the fact that your school champion was cheating prior to the first task? Why did you not interfere? Do you think your student deserves the amount of points she has been awarded, keeping in mind that she had prior knowledge of her challenge, and could thus research effective means of achieving her goal? Did you aid your student in cheating? Do you not respect the age old rules of the Triwizard Tournament? Did you or your champion cooperate with either of the two other cheating champions? Why do you think Harry Potter was the only student not aware of having to face a dragon today?"

Maxime was getting flustered and clearly had trouble keeping up with the rapid fire English. Fleur was no better. Turning back to Harry, Rita asked, "Mr. Potter, how does it feel to face down a dragon, three champions who all had prior knowledge about the task's content, and come out on top, only to see that you still barely manage to get a decent lead? You are leading by a meager seven points on two of your rivals after all."

"Well, that is indeed somewhat disappointing. I have been working my butt off ever since the beginning of this tournament, playing fair and trying to do as much research as possible on spells that might be helpful in life-threatening situations. I must admit to being disappointed to how often I would see Miss Delacour simply talking to her friends, a horde of admirers not far behind. Or Mr. Krum who simply goes flying for hours on end, and sits in the Durmstrang ship's crow nest. Max spends most of his time in the Gryffindor common room, but rumor has it he plays a lot of chess with Ronald Weasley, that at least can be seen as strategy practice."

Taking on a frustrated look and sighing, Harry continued, "And all the while, I had my nose buried in a book or I was practicing what I had read. I assure you, that was quite frustrating for me. Fortunately, my good friends Neville Longbottom and Draco Malfoy helped me out a lot with both research and practice."

Harry then got to answer a boatload of other questions, ranging from school to financial to love to familial. On the topic of family, Harry refused to comment on anything involving the Potters. Instead paying extra attention to his loving, Muggle family and his cousin and their famed rivalry. When Harry mentioned having sparred with Dudley as preparation on today's task, Harry had to spend a full ten minutes explaining that. He got some amazed reactions when he mentioned that this might have been the extra edge which granted him today's victory.

"So this friendship with your Muggle cousin helped you win today's task? Because he helped you clear your mind and train your body?" A Belgian reporter asked.

"Yes, I know that some people think Muggles are worthless, but I disagree. It is because of my relationship with my Muggle family, that I am the young man I am today."

After a few more questions, and some pictures of Harry posing with his egg in hand and his wand out with its tip glowing Stunner red, he was allowed to go.

Smiling gently and giving a polite wave to the reporters and photographers, Harry walked off towards the castle. Seeing Hedwig floating towards him as well. Harry smiled, today had been a good day. Now for a good evening.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

"Hey Max! A word?" Harry yelled at his twin, they were in a deserted hallway on the seventh floor. Max was accompanied by the other three quarters of the Fabulous Foursome, Harry had Hedwig on his shoulder and Draco and Neville on his flanks. They were there simply because Harry wanted them to be there.

"What is it Harry?" Max asked as he turned around. His friends doing likewise, Weasley bore a suspicious look, whilst Granger and Rachel simply looked curious.

"I tried to keep you out of the crossfire that the newspapers are going to let go tomorrow, but I wasn't fully successful. You'll come out smelling like roses compared to Krum and Delacour though."

"I'm going to send a note to Skeeter to be mild towards you at the least. Hedwig is about to depart, she still wanted a piece of bacon, right girl?" Getting a gentle nibble from Hedwig, she flew off at incredible speeds. The last they could see of her were her striking blue tail feathers.

"Harry," Max spoke softly, "thank you. By the way, what kind of bird is Hedwig anyways?"

"She's one of a kind. After some debate, we eventually came up with Zumrud-U Anka as the name for her species. Now, if you'd excuse me. Oh, and Rachel? Flitwick wants to see you in his office in five minutes."

"But that's a ten minute walk!"

Harry just grinned, "Well then you'd better start running. Did I mention that Flitwick said it was urgent?"

With a nasty glare at Harry, Rachel ran off. Harry, Neville and Draco walked off as well, leaving Max, Granger and Weasley to go to their common room.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Having said goodbye to Draco and Neville, seeing as curfew was getting close, Harry leisurely walked to Flitwick's office. Having used all the shortcuts he knew, Harry arrived just in time to see a furious Rachel leave Flitwick's office. The sound of a chuckling Flitwick in the background, until his office door closed.

When Rachel spotted him, Harry plastered his grin on again. The girl seemed absolutely livid!

"Flitwick didn't want to see me! Who do you think you are you sodding bastard!" An outraged Rachel shouted.

"Why, I'm your teacher, and I needed to get you apart from your sidekicks. This was the most efficient method to achieve that. Now, come along, we have some training to do."

With that, Harry walked off. After a few meters, Harry could hear Rachel following him. He had to make sure that he hid his smug grin. If the girl saw that, she'd start being troublesome again.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

"What are we doing here?"

Harry and Rachel were standing in the arena in which Harry had faced his dragon mere hours ago. There was nobody there.

"This arena was designed to withstand fire-breathing dragons. The perfect place for you to go all out. Now, give me a few seconds." Having said what he had to say, Harry jumped and used a Propulsion charm to fly into the stands. He could feel himself crossing the wards. They hadn't been disabled yet.

"Now, we'll start simple, create 5 fireballs of about tennis ball size, and juggle with them."

"But I can't juggle!"

"Then use your powers to keep the balls in course and on an easy speed. Now begin!"

Seeing that arguing would be useless, Rachel did as told. After a few minutes, Harry made the exercise more challenging.

"Next exercise, whilst not stopping the juggling, conjure a ring of fire on the ground around you with a diameter of four meters! Keep it burning at all times. Do so now!"

With some trouble, Rachel managed to do as ask. Harry mentally admitted to being mildly impressed.

"Now, I'm going to create some targets. When you get a clear shot, hit it with one of your fireballs. When you have less than three fireballs, you fail the test. Failing means running. If one of the targets makes it through your ring of fire, you fail. Failing means running. If you hit the stands, you fail. Failing means running. Now start!"

Harry started creating human shaped blocks of ice, which he spread through the arena. Slowly letting one or two float towards Rachel at a time, he watched as she burnt them down. In the beginning she had simply been summoning new fireballs, until she finally got the lesson Harry wanted her to learn, new fireballs could be drawn from the already existent fire. Harry had done things like that before, but then with water and ice. For any lengthy battle, conserving energy was very important.

Starting to increase the speed and amount of his moving icemen, Harry wasn't pleased to see Rachel giving an arrogant grin when she started going for groin- and headshots. Having seen what he wanted, Harry increased the difficulty level. A lot.

He had his icemen start to fire ice bullets at the speed of an average spell.

Rachel yelped as she got hit time and time again. The smug grin was nowhere to be found.

"You are aware of course, that we are wizards and witches? Do you really think people are going to rush you in a real fight? Now do something about those spells girl!"

Rachel seemed about to protest, so Harry hit her extra hard between the eyes. That was a nasty hit. For half a second, Harry was actually worried he'd given Rachel a concussion.

Rachel strengthened the fire ring so the ice wouldn't make it to her any longer. Harry grinned, Rachel was actually progressing very nicely. He wasn't about to tell her that though. He didn't feel like getting the girl to become arrogant again.

Speeding up his attack, Harry noticed Rachel began to slow down. She was tiring. Her condition was still absolutely awful. Sighing, Harry dissolved his icemen. He had a trick in mind to get Rachel fit again.

"Alright, come on. We're going to get you an elemental energy drink." Harry said, before jumping down into the arena and briskly marching off.

"Where are we going Harry?"

"You'll see. I would suggest you save your breath. You seem tired."

Hearing a deep sigh, Harry knew Rachel was annoyed with him. That didn't matter, they had arrived. Turning around with a smile on his face, he came face to face with a panicking Rachel.

"Are you out of your mind? What are we doing at the dragon pens!"

"Getting you fit again of course. I'm always at my best in cold rooms and during winter. So for you, the opposite is probably true." Harry spoke confidently. Seeing that Rachel was about to nod from the way her neck tensed, Harry swiftly continued, "So if we get a dragon to try and torch you, you'll be up and running in mere seconds!"

"What! Have you lost your mi-" Rachel started to yell, only to get cut off when Harry pushed her within the firing range of the Hungarian Horntail. Seeing Rachel about to run, Harry cast a Petrificus on her and a Conjunctivitis on the Horntail. Immediately, a pissed Horntail breathed a flame at full power.

Harry realized his mistake the second the flames reached Rachel… The girl was wearing normal clothes. Normal, non-fireproof clothes.

"Oops." Harry said, before swiftly turning around. Aiming at the castle to summon some clothes for the obnoxious girl. Hearing the dragon stop spitting fire, Harry used a Finite in the general direction behind him. Casting a Protego in the same move. Not a second too soon, because the moment his shield went up, it got hit by two fireballs and an unidentified hex.

"Calm down this second, or I'm taking these clothes with me, and I'll leave you to your fate. Now, are you energized?" Harry spoke coldly.

"Yes, I actually am you crazy bastard! Now give me some clothes." Rachel yelled at him, only to miraculously calm down.

"Fine by me, here you go. Class dismissed." Harry said, before banishing the clothes in Rachel's general direction and taking off towards the castle.

Harry had to admit that he was actually starting to like the blasted girl. Better keep that quiet.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry, Draco and Neville looked up as they heard the owls flying into the Great Hall. Well, the owls and one Zumrud-U Anka, which Draco insisted on using, even though Harry and Neville simply called Hedwig: "Hedwig".

Taking the Daily Prophet off of the delivery owl, Harry tossed a piece of bacon at Hedwig, and he gave her a gentle pet on the head, before opening his paper.

"Huh. I made front page again."

On the front page, a picture of Harry could be seen. It was the one he had posed for yesterday afternoon. Looking on the next pages for a few seconds, Harry could see pictures of the actual task.

Starting to read the article, Harry read out loud for his two friends,

"**Justice Prevails in First Triwizard Tournament Task – Hogwarts takes first place!"**

**Yesterday, the Triwizard Tournament really kicked off, with the first Task taking place. And what a Task it was. We were treated to the incredible sight of FOUR dragons, one for each of the competing Champions. The Champions needed to steal a golden egg from their respective dragons. The real bombshell was dropped right before the actual task though.**

**One of the rules for the First Task was that the Champions couldn't know what they would be doing until mere minutes before the task began. When the champions were informed that they would be facing dragons, there was only one shocked champion though. Harry Potter was clearly shocked. Only to discover that the three other champions were not shocked in the slightest! **

**Viktor Krum, Fleur Delacour and Max Potter had found out that they would be facing dragons, before the actual task. Thus dishonoring the age old Triwizard Tournament. Harry Potter later informed us that Max Potter had thought all other champions had known, and that if he hadn't thought so, he would not have cheated. This doesn't excuse his cheating, but it is at least somewhat redeeming.**

**When the task began, the three male contestants found out that they would be crossing paths in the middle of the arena, on their way to their respective dragons. In the resulting duel, Harry Potter tricked Viktor Krum and Max Potter into believing he had been knocked out, only to profit from their duel to take them both out.**

**Harry Potter also conjured to full, magic resistant wolves, to battle Fleur Delacour, who had been about to put her dragon to sleep. After doing this, Harry set his dragon on Mr. Krum his dragon, before stealing the egg and taking after Fleur Delacour, who had successfully defeated both the conjured wolves and her dragon.**

**Harry and Fleur had a short but furious duel, but Harry eventually defeated her and took a deserved first place. Fleur Delacour would eventually take second place with Viktor Krum ending in third. Max Potter ended in fourth place after having been Stunned by Viktor Krum.**

**The judges awarded the champions with the following points: **

**Harry potter = 46; Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour = 39 each; Max Potter = 25.**

**After the First Task, we interviewed Harry Potter. We tried to get responses from both foreign champions and their headmasters as well, but none of them were willing or able to answer us when we questioned them about their cheating.**

**Harry had the following to say: **

"_**I am disappointed that all other champions cheated. I would like to add something in Max his defense though, he thought we had all been informed through various means. Fleur and Viktor had no trouble with getting an unfair advantage on their opponents. I think the things which gave me the edge today, would be my relentless exercise and study. As well as my cousin Dudley, who was kind enough to sacrifice his Wednesday afternoon to spar with me. He's a Muggle, but we're pretty close, and it's thanks to competing with him, that I'm in such a good physical shape. Thank you."**_

**We can only recognize Mr. Potter's good physical shape, judging from what we saw during the First Task and the pictures we have published here today. **

**We would like to stress again that we do not approve of the cheating in which three of the four champions participated, and we, from the Daily Prophet, would like to congratulate Harry Potter with his highly deserved victory. We expect Harry to show even more great things in the near future!**

**by special correspondent Rita Skeeter, for the Daily Prophet.**

**For more Information on Harry Potter – pg. 5**

**For more Information on Viktor Krum – pg. 5**

**For more Information on Fleur Delacour – pg. 6**

**For more Information on Max Potter – pg. 6**

**For a more detailed description of the First Task – pg. 7**

**Infamous Cheaters and what became of them – pg.11**

Finishing the article, Harry took a sip of water. Draco spoke up first, "That should win you some standing with the public, right?"

Harry sighed, "Yes, it probably will. Now if only the other papers follow the Prophet's lead."

Harry looked up and met Max his eyes. After a few seconds, Max gave a grateful nod. Their truce was still standing then. Excellent.

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><p><strong>And done. That was Chapter 23. I hope you liked it. Thanks for reading. Swing me a review if you feel like it. And once more, you into role playing? Then check out this site: hogwartsvsdurmstrang. forumotion. com without the spaces. Don't forget too enjoy your weekend! Later 'gator!<strong>

**Signing of,**

**Peeves' Best Friend**


	24. I'm going to need 25 hours a day!

**Hi, I'm back again with Chapter 24! Longest chapter yet with 4,825 words of actual story! So that's without AN and Disclaimer and all that drivel. Anyways, thanks for all the reviews, alerts, favorites, etcetera etcetera. Also, if you know of any good stories on here, send me a PM or something, because I'm seriously looking for a good fic. And all I can find is Slash or mediocrity or something which is only 5,000 words. Also, please leave me a review so I now what you think of the chapter/story. Now, with my whining out of the way, enjoy chapter 24!**

**AN: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!**

* * *

><p>Vernon was a happy man, he had a wife whom he loved a lot, a talented son, a good job, a nice house, great car, his nephew was a honest and good boy despite his magic, and today, he had the day off! Yes, life was good in the world of Vernon Dursley. And it was about to get even better for both him, and his family.<p>

As Vernon sat down for breakfast, which was made up from some bacon, eggs and some freshly squeezed orange juice, he smiled at his wife.

"Thank you Pet, it looks delicious." Vernon smiled at Petunia.

As Petunia sat down as well, Vernon smiled again. How fortunate a man he was. He had lost weight since Harry had threatened him, now some seven years ago, and he looked more like the man he had been when he married Petunia. Petunia too looked far healthier than seven years ago.

As Vernon and his wife enjoyed their breakfast, they could hear the screech of an owl.

"Are we expecting a letter from Harry?" A surprised Vernon asked his wife.

"I don't think so. The next letter we get from him should be at Christmas, if he follows the schedule of the past three years… Something must have happened! Oh Vernon! Harry is so strong! What could have possibly happened that they send us a letter!" A terrified Petunia yelled.

"Calm down Petunia, we don't know if anything terrible happened. Perhaps he just forgot to have us sign something or the other." Vernon spoke. But even as he spoke, he knew that wasn't like Harry at all.

Petunia and Vernon merely waited as they saw a beautiful white bird with blue tail feathers fly through the open window and land on the table. With a regal hoot, it extended its paw so that Petunia could take the paper it seemed to be carrying.

Petunia could hardly control her hands as she freed the bird from its burden. Once the bird was free, it gave a hoot, before flying out through the window with a cry of joy.

Vernon saw his wife open the paper and she immediately relaxed. Seeing Petunia calm down, Vernon let out a relieved sigh as well. When he finally got the paper from Petunia twenty minutes later, he grinned when he saw the headline, this day had become even better then it was already:

"**Justice Prevails in First Triwizard Tournament Task – Hogwarts takes first place!"**

Fifteen minutes later, a proud Vernon and a pleased Petunia were calling Smeltings. They had to ask Dudley some questions about how he could have possibly helped Harry with his preparation for the First Task!

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry sat in an abandoned classroom. Looking around one final time, he was content with the defensive measures he had taken on the room. Tons of silencing, repelling and defensive spells were littering every solid object.

Holding his wand at the ready, Harry opened the golden egg. A horrible shrieking rang through the classroom. Casting a sound dampening charm on the egg, the noise was reduced to a more bearable level.

Harry closed his eyes and tried to decipher anything from the screeching. After half an hour, Harry managed to detect a rhythm in the inaudible cries.

'_So, we have a rhythm. Conclusion: the text is already in the correct order. So it's not a code. Logically, it's another language.'_

With a smug grin, Harry closed his egg and took off towards the Ravenclaw common room. It was way after curfew, and he did need some sleep after all.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry sat in the Ravenclaw common room with a book on magical languages opened in front of him. It had been a week since his grand discovery, but due to his rather busy schedule, he had yet to find the language that was being spoken when he opened his egg.

Seeing professor Flitwick enter the common room, Harry sighed. This couldn't be good.

Flitwick went to the middle of the common room. Pulling a chair out from under a close by study table, he climbed on top of it and stood up.

"May I have your attention please? Everybody gather round." The diminutive professor squeaked.

With a sigh, Harry waited for the other students to move closer to the professor. From his standard corner seat, he had a perfect sight on the entire common room. That was the main reason for having claimed this seat in first year. It had been his ever since.

When everybody had gathered, professor Flitwick scraped his throat, "As it is a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament, we will be organizing a Yule ball this holiday. It is a formal ball, so formal wear is mandatory. As a dancing ball, it is encouraged to bring a date. Those allowed to attend are fourth years and up. Lower years are only allowed if they are asked by an upper year. That is all, you are free to go. Mr. Potter, a word please."

Sighing, Harry stood up. Moving towards his professor, he knew that he wasn't going to like this.

"Harry, as a champion, you are required to bring a date. You must open the ball along with the other champions and their dates, as is tradition. I trust you know how to dance?" Flitwick spoke.

Harry merely nodded. A date… He did not like that. He would have to think about this very carefully.

"Yes sir. I know how to dance. My date and I will be there. I assure you."

Giving a content nod, Flitwick walked off.

With a deep sigh, Harry returned to his seat. Now to find a date…

He needed somebody with whom he could go as friends. Yeah… Because he had so many female friends now didn't he!

_Let's see: What/Who are valid options? Nobody younger, that would make me seem even younger compared to the two foreign champions. Sixth and seventh years would make it seem as if I'm unknowing and innocent and the girl in question is a glory hound. Leaves fourth and fifth year. Nobody physically unattractive, would make me look incapable of getting better. Preferably pureblood with influential family._

_Options: Daphne Greengrass, Susan Bones, McDougall Morag, Patil Twins._

_Patil family is not very influential in England, strong standing in India. OUT_

_McDougall Morag is a Ravenclaw in my year, never spoke to her before today. So going as friends is not credible. OUT_

_Susan Bones, Hufflepuff, very well built. Family has strong standing with Amelia Bones as Head of DMLE. Not had much contact with her thus far. Going as friends is doubtful. POSSIBILITY_

_Daphne Greengrass, Slytherin, classical beauty. Family low political influence, financially strong. Family is renowned for remaining neutral, leaning towards Dark. Have been involved romantically already. POSSIBILITY_

Having found his two main candidates, Harry reopened his book on magical languages. He'd look into finding a date tomorrow. Maybe one of the girls would have accepted a date by then. Although that was unlikely, Harry held files on all student relations and neither of the girls had a boyfriend, nor were they visibly crushing on someone.

Sighing, Harry flipped a page, Succubae languages, Main: European, American, Asian, Oceanian, African. Sub: …, grumbling internally, Harry started searching again.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry, Draco and Neville were enjoying their breakfast, the morning after the announcement of the Yule Ball. Talking quietly amongst themselves, the topic was currently the possible dates they might ask to the Ball. Harry was carefully considering his options, whilst Draco was moping and Neville was apparently very anxious.

Draco was moping because he didn't have a clue as to whom he should ask. Normally, he would have simply taken Pansy. However, since his banishment from the family, that was no longer a valid option. Which meant he would actually have to find a girl and ask her out, with a real chance of being turned down.

Neville was so anxious, because he had a thing for Hannah Abbot, and she was currently talking to Justin Finch-Fletchley, whom Neville considered a very real rival.

Knowing that he couldn't help Draco at the moment, Harry turned to Neville.

"Come along Neville, we are going to get you your date." Harry spoke confidently. Not leaving Neville a chance to protest, he stood up and pulled Neville with him, before starting to move towards the fourth year Hufflepuffs.

Harry gave a polite smile and a friendly wave when the Puffs spotted him.

"Hello, I don't want to seem rude, but I have a couple of questions. Three, to be precise. Firstly, might we please join you for a minute?" Harry asked jovially.

Although the Hufflepuffs seemed surprised, they gave some friendly nods or a variation of yes.

Smiling, Harry sat down, pulling a hesitant Neville down next to him. He had positioned them so that Neville was facing Hannah, and he was facing Justin, whilst Susan sat on Harry's other side.

"Excellent, now question number two. How are you? Everybody doing well I hope?"

Once again, the Puffs responded with variations of the word yes. Ernie Macmillan seemed to find this question the reason for a very long, official and somewhat pompous reply.

Seeing as Ernie was sitting across from Susan, and next to Justin, he was the perfect conversation partner for Harry. He had already spotted Hannah glancing at Neville a few times. If the lion could just gather his courage for a minute, he'd have a date. He just needed some privacy.

"So, Ernie, how are you feeling about the Yule Ball? Have you asked a girl already or don't you know who you are going to ask yet? What about you Susan, Justin?"

Ernie, of course, replied first, "I have not quite decided whom I might ask. Although I admit that there is a certain lass who holds my favour."

Harry didn't even have to turn his head, to know that Ernie was glancing at Morag McDougall, a pretty pureblood girl from Harry's year.

"You should go for it Ernie, I think I know who you're talking about, and she might very well be interested. But you don't need to hear that from me, you should just ask her. I heard her talking about you to that friend of hers, you know, the one with the brown curls." Harry spoke deliberately. He was getting specific enough for Ernie to figure out that Harry was indeed talking about Morag, whilst Justin and Susan would keep fishing in the dark as to the identity of Ernie's crush.

Smiling gratefully at Harry, Ernie stood up to go try his luck with Morag.

"Thanks Harry! I owe you one!" He spoke, a lot less formally, before speeding off.

Turning to Justin and Susan, Harry smiled encouragingly at them. He could hear Neville talking softly to Hannah behind him.

Justin seemed anxious about talking to Harry, but Susan seemed not to have that problem. Smiling shyly at Harry, she softly spoke, "I was planning on going alone actually. I don't want to have to deal with a date and all that stuff. I just want to focus on school for now. I think we're all still a bit young to start dating and stuff like that."

Suppressing a snort, Harry had done a lot more with girls than mere dating, Harry smiled encouragingly at Susan. Spotting his opening, he moved in for the kill.

"How about we go together Susan? I need to have a date to open the ball with. You know, the opening dance has to be danced by the champions and their dates. We can go as friends. I get the chance to get to know you better, and I get a pretty dance partner, and you get … well okay, you get the short end of this deal, but still. How about it?"

Justin looked at Harry angrily, but Harry pretended as if he didn't notice and he kept his focus on Susan.

Susan smiled shyly, and she blushed for a second, but she did respond, "We're going just as friends then?" She asked. At Harry's affirmative nod, Susan continued, "Then I'd love to go with you Harry."

Harry smiled happily, he could hear Hannah shyly saying yes, and Neville letting out a relieved sigh, so that was in the bag as well.

"Do you have any idea what color of dress you'll be wearing? So I can make sure that we match."

"I was planning on wearing something green. I do have a very nice forest green dress… Would that be okay? I think it might complement your eyes!" A happy Susan told Harry.

Harry merely smiled, "I think that would look absolutely lovely. I'll make sure that I match you. Now, I do need to prepare for classes. If you'd please excuse me. Neville, are you coming?"

Getting nods and waves from Susan and Hannah, a smug Harry and an ecstatic Neville walked to Draco.

"You coming Draco?" Harry calmly asked, not even pausing on his way to the doors.

Draco didn't even reply, he just stood up and briskly caught up to Harry and Neville.

"So you two got dates then?" A still moping Draco asked.

Harry gave a simple nod, and a still uncomprehending Neville merely grinned like a loon.

Walking out of the Great Hall, it was a good thing that Harry cast a Silencio on Neville, because judging from the way his mouth moved, he would have yelled "She said yes!" for all the world to hear.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry forcibly stopped himself from cursing Draco, when the latter let out another disappointed sigh.

"Draco, just pick a girl, walk up to her, and ask her if she wants to be your date. Or go stag if you don't feel like asking anybody, but quit your moping!" An irritated Neville said.

"Oh yeah, because you did that, didn't you? Oh, that's right! You didn't! You had Harry do all the work for you!" Draco mocked.

"Very well, Draco, follow me." Harry spoke, before standing up.

They were currently in the eastern courtyard. They had just had History of Magic and Draco had been moping during the entire period. Harry would be having Ancient Runes in a couple of minutes, and he planned on getting Draco to stop his moaning before that.

Spotting his target, Harry walked over, Draco trailing behind him.

"Hi Mandy and Lisa, does either of you have a date for the Ball yet?" Harry spoke to Mandy Brocklehurst and Lisa Turpin, they were both Ravenclaws in Harry's year.

After some giggling, Mandy answered for them both.

"Well, Lisa is going with Michael. I haven't been asked yet though." Mandy sounded somewhat depressed by the end.

_Perfect, she's feeling insecure because her friends all have dates already and she doesn't have one yet._

Seeing that Draco wasn't about to say anything, Harry said to Mandy: "I'm actually here on behalf of Draco. He would like to ask you to the Ball, but seeing as he has apparently swallowed his tongue, I'm backing him up. So would you, Mandy Brocklehurst, please go to the ball with him, Draco Malfoy?"

Mandy blushed and Draco looked as if he had seen a ghost. He looked absolutely terrified!

"I'd love to go with Draco. On one condition. He has to ask me himself, and it has to be special." A grinning Mandy spoke. Draco's face had been pale before, but now it resembled a snowman!

With a smirk worthy of Malfoy Senior, Harry walked away. Draco was a big boy. He could handle himself… Sort of.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

He'd found it! A magical language which sounded like inaudible screeching! The voice in the egg was speaking Mermish!

Harry was briskly marching towards his dorm shower. He didn't feel like actually learning Mermish, so he'd simply have to listen to his egg under water.

Arriving at the showers, Harry stripped, before going into a stall and letting the water run. Casting a silencing ward on his stall, Harry made sure that nobody would be able to hear what was going on in his stall.

Harry sealed of the bottom of his stall, and the drain, before casting an Aguamenti and some heating charms.

Opening his egg, Harry put it under the water before submerging himself as well. Harry listened as the singing became audible.

_Come seek us where our voices sound,  
>We cannot sing above the ground,<br>And while you're searching ponder this;  
>We've taken what you'll sorely miss,<br>An hour long you'll have to look,  
>And to recover what we took,<br>But past an hour, the prospect's black,  
>Too late it's gone, it won't come back.<em>

Resurfacing, Harry pondered his clue. Something he'd sorely miss...

That was a dead end. But he could start exploring the lake. And he needed some method of rapid underwater transportation and he needed to be able of underwater breathing.

Those could both be taken care of by using his elemental powers… But what if there was some kind of monitoring so the crowd would be able to follow the champions' performances? After all, the Tournament had to be entertaining. So the crowd would need to be able to see something at the least.

So Harry'd have to look in to swift underwater movement, and underwater breathing. The breathing could be achieved with a simple Bubblehead charm. He'd looked that up when he was brewing Bone-mending potion during his Advanced Potions lessons. The fumes of Bone-mending potion were poisonous, and Harry had needed a way of breathing safely during the brewing.

So that left two things. First was fast underwater transport and second was exploring the lake to find some landmarks and the mermen village. He could do that…

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

The Ball was in a week, and Harry was planning on exploring the lake tonight. It was after curfew, but he was allowed to be out, and he didn't care if his soon to be tagalong got punished.

Arriving at the Gryffindor common room entrance, he looked at the guardian. He knew the password from Neville. And he had some people he needed to talk to.

"Lion's Pride"

The Fat Lady swung aside and Harry moved in. As it was half an hour after curfew already, everybody still in the common room looked towards the opening portrait.

A surprised silence hung in the air. Harry merely ignored it and scanned the room for his targets.

Spotting them, Harry started moving. It was Max's Weasley who broke the silence.

"What do you think you're doing in our common room Potter?" He shouted.

Not even looking at him, Harry simply kept moving.

"I need to talk to your brothers for a second, so if you'd be so kind Ronald, do shut up."

Moving past a stunned Ron, Harry nodded to Fred and George, who both seemed rather surprised as well. They did a very good job at hiding it though.

"How can we-"

"-help the mighty-"

"-Ravenclaw Champion,"

"-the Defeater of Dragons,"

"-the Wise Warlock,"

"-Harry Potter?" The twins spoke, verbally ping ponging between them.

Ignoring the annoying twinspeak, Harry calmly replied, "Rumor has it you gambled with Bagman at the World Cup."

It was the twin on Harry's right who answered. His left eyebrow was just a fraction of an inch longer than his twin's. Using passive Legillimency, Harry found out that this was Fred.

"And what if we did?"

"Then I would like to know if you actually got paid, or if he conned you. The man has huge debts with the goblins after all."

"Why would we tell you?" George asked.

"Because, George, I also happen to have picked up that you are planning on beginning a prank shop. If you lost your money to Bagman, you need an investor."

"Ignoring the fact that-" Fred started.

"-you seem to be able of-" George continued.

"-telling us apart," Fred picked up again.

"-for the moment." George finished the sentence.

"What kind of investment-" Fred started a question.

"-are we talking about here?" George finished again.

Casting a privacy ward, Harry turned to the twins again. Leaning forward, he waited until the twins did likewise.

"How does 500 Galleons sound to you both? For that money, I want one third of all shares and profit for that, as well as free merchandise, as long as it remains within reason. My partnership will be silent, until I decide otherwise. You will inform me of all major business decisions and we will be meeting on a regular basis to discuss product development and your financial situation. We will be swearing an oath, or signing a contract. Those are the terms. Interested boys?"

The twins were both sitting there, mouths open, gaping at Harry incredulously.

"Are you serious?" They both asked simultaneously.

"Yes. Now are you willing to swear an oath or what?" An impatient Harry asked as he held out his wand, grasping it with his right hand.

Nodding, both twins stretched out their hands as well. Grasping Harry's wand, the twins spoke simultaneously.

"We agree to the terms set by Harry Potter. If we break our oath, the punishment is his to decide. So mote be it."

"So mote be it." Harry spoke.

Three magical lines shot out of Harry's wand. They were yellow, blue and red. After circling the three boys a few times, they shot into the wand again.

"Well that was-" Fred began once more.

"-rather disappointing." George finished again.

There seemed to be a pattern there. Fred seemed to be the initiative taker, and George was the one who completed what Fred began.

Smiling, Harry pulled out the shrunken down bag of galleons he had brought with him. Handing it to the twins, he softly spoke.

"I suggest you go to your dorm before opening that. Now then, gentlemen, have a good night." Smiling at the baffled twins, Harry stood up. Spotting his next target, he waited until Rachel looked his way, before subtly gesturing to the portrait of the Fat Lady.

Seeing Rachel's eyes widen, Harry knew his message had been received. Leaving the common room, he had to wait for a few minutes, until Rachel finally joined him.

"What do you want Harry! It's the middle of the night! I was about to go to sleep!" Rachel whisper-shouted.

"Time for training. We're going to work on your endurance today. Come along." Harry spoke, before turning on his heel and marching off.

Hearing Rachel follow him, Harry grinned smugly.

.

.

.

Arriving at the Black Lake, Harry turned to Rachel again.

"So, I'm going for a swim. Your task is to keep the entire lake surface illuminated using your element. You need to keep the flames at least four feet from the water. Show me now." Harry commanded.

Sighing, Rachel took a deep breath before doing as asked.

"Excellent. When you can't hold on any longer, let the fire flash brightly three times. Show me now." Harry commanded again.

When Rachel did as asked, Harry smiled.

"Very good. Now then, keep this up and remember to flash when you can't hold on any longer." Harry spoke, before walking to the edge of the lake and swiftly stripping down to his boxers. Transfiguring his boxers into swimming trunks, Harry turned to grin roguishly at Rachel. Winking at her, he dove into the frigid water. That wasn't exactly a problem for the young elemental, who rather liked this temperature. He had taken Rachel along to give some light. Not to provide heat.

As he dove deeper, Harry began exploring. Making a mental chart of the lake bottom, he was surprised by some aggressive grindylows.

Stunning the grindylows, Harry had to stop himself from killing them. They might still prove useful for attacking or distracting the other champions during the Second Task.

With a smile, Harry swam on.

.

.

.

Harry had been underwater for an hour, and he'd already found the mermen village, a shipwreck, Moaning Myrtle and the Giant Squid. Looking up when he saw something flash, he noticed that Rachel was giving the signal that meant she was exhausted. Turning to aim for the shore, Harry created a miniature typhoon around him. Gathering power, Harry took a deep breath of lake water, before shooting off towards the shore at incredible speeds.

It really was cool that he could breath underwater thanks to his elemental power. Advantage of being a water elemental. Fire elementals could flame like phoenixes. Earth elementals could control stone as well, which basically meant that they never had to create their element, they could simply use earth from their surroundings. And of course, Wind Elementals could fly. Harry was rather jealous of that one actually.

Reaching the shore, Harry shot out of the water and elegantly landed on his feet.

"You may stop now." Harry said softly to Rachel.

Rachel stopped and immediately fell down panting.

Helping her up, Harry summoned a Pepper-Up Potion from his bag. Letting Rachel sip from it, Harry sat Rachel down before walking back to his clothes.

Getting dressed, Harry looked over at Rachel.

"You did good today. I'm impressed."

"Thanks. May I ask you something?"

"Yes you may, what would you like to know?"

"Have you figured out the egg yet?"

"Yes. I have. Has Max?"

"No. He hasn't. And I'm worried about him. He isn't ready for this! He lost spectacularly in the first task and it was more luck than wisdom that he even managed to get his egg! He isn't taking this serious! He opened the egg once. Once! When he heard the screeching, he simply gave up! Please, could you tell me the clue? Or give me a hint? You're ready for this tournament! Max isn't! I like him, because he's a great friend, but he just isn't ready for this! Please help us." Rachel begged.

"You are of course aware of the fact that I'm competing **against** Max? And also that I was the only champion who did **not** know he would be facing a dragon? Why didn't Max tell me about the dragons? If he had, it would have been perfectly reasonable for me to tell him about the egg." Harry coldly spoke. A truce was one thing, but he wasn't about to sacrifice his advantage in the Tournament!

"Please Harry, I'll do anything for you! Anything! You name it and I'll make sure it happens. But help Max! Hermione and I can't help him until we know what the task is going to be!" Rachel continued her begging.

Finally finished with dressing himself, Harry gave Rachel a pensive look. He couldn't just give it away. But it would be a good thing for him if he had Rachel and Max owing him a favor. Rachel because she asked, Max because he would profit from Harry's help.

"Very well. Listen closely. The shrieking you hear is a song, sung in a magical language. What you need to do, is go to the Library, find the book _Most Languages of most Magical Creatures_, and look for the language that fits the shrieking. I will hang on to what you owe me for now. Do have fun with the research, the book is over two thousand five hundred pages thick after all." And with that, Harry walked off. He had made a good start on exploring the lake and none of his rivals were any the wiser for it.

Stopping, Harry turned around, "Oh Rachel, one more thing. I want an oath that you will inform nobody of what I did here tonight."

Rachel was clearly shocked, but she managed to react with a simple, "How do I do that?"

Harry simply said, "I, Rachel Owens," before motioning Rachel to repeat after him. When she finally did so, Harry continued.

"solemnly swear to keep secret," Rachel repeated again.

"the activities Harry Potter," Rachel sounded bored, but she did repeat the oath again.

"performed here tonight," Rachel became tense, so she was clearly aware that Harry could manipulate the oath in such a way that she wouldn't be able to tell anybody about the information Harry gave her about the egg.

"In relation to the Black Lake." Rachel relaxed when Harry said this.

"So mote be it."

As Rachel spoke the final sentence, a purple light shot out of her chest before circling her three times and shooting into Harry.

"What was that!" Rachel yelled

"That was the magic behind this oath. If you break it, I will know and I will be able to magically punish you for breaking it. If you're about to break it, I feel that as well and I can use it to get you to shut up. Now, I'm going to sleep. Have a nice night and don't get caught by the professors." Harry spoke, before turning on his heel again and briskly walking away.

* * *

><p><strong>And that's that. Now first, about the 500 Galleons. I refer you to chapter 13 or 14, not sure which one, in one of those, Dumbledore offers Harry 500 Galleons if he one ups the foreigners. He does so quite nicely in Chapter: What, I've got to take a leak! <strong>

**How could Harry possibly know about the twins and their money issues? Well, Harry and Rita Skeeter are pretty close. Rita told Harry about Bagman's monetary issues, and the Weasley twins were two of a very select group of people who correctly predicted the outcome of the World Cup Final. So I'm guessing that someone like Ron would have spread that story around. Harry would connect the dots and tada! He knows to smart guys in need of an investor.**

**Then, about the Ball. These are by no means definitive pairings. Least of all for Harry. Although Neville and Hannah are a pretty good match in my opinion. Anyways, leave me a review or something and if you know a good fic, do let me know. (NO Slash please, thanks in advance.) **


	25. Oh yeah, I got moves

**I HAVE RETURNED! FEAR ME!**

**Chapter 25, I'm pretty pleased with this one. It's exactly 5000 words, excluding the extra information in the beginning and at the end. Thanks for the reviews and the alerts and all the other fun stuff. Enjoy chapter 25, in which we see a more relaxed side of the Terrific Three. Still no Lily Potter, so sorry for that. Please, enjoy! Oh and leave me a review please.**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

* * *

><p>Harry, Neville and Draco were sitting near the great tree that stood on the far side of the Black lake. Harry had his head in a book, Draco was busily brewing a potion, using the mobile potions station Neville and Harry had gotten him as an early Christmas present, and Neville was simply enjoying the silence.<p>

A chilly winter sun hung in the sky grey sky. Not exactly the weather to hang around outside, but Harry rather enjoyed the chill and both Draco and Neville were close enough to the fire burning under Draco's cauldron to keep warm.

"It will have to be this summer." Draco suddenly spoke up. Both Neville and Harry looked up. Neville puzzled, as he didn't understand Draco's random remark, and Harry interested, waiting for more information.

"Lucius is finalizing a contract with the Stevens family. Hilde Stevens is the 26 year-old daughter of Lord Stevens of Belgium. He is one of the 10 Lords in the Provincial Partnership, and if Hilde grants Lucius a son, not only would he be a valid heir, he would also lead to quite a bit of influence in Belgian politics, as Lord Stevens has no other heirs." Draco continued calmly.

Harry hummed thoughtfully, as Neville gave an understanding nod. Having caught onto Draco's meaning.

"You aren't ready." Harry spoke coolly, "If you and Lucius duel now, he'd wipe the floor with you. Do you have a plan with a real chance at victory?"

"Killing him isn't an option. I don't have the money for assassins, the elves are responsible for all meals and drinks so poisons are out, mother can't do anything because of the marriage contract, and killing him myself won't work as I won't get a good opportunity. So we'll have to stick with the duel." Draco listed with a hopeless tone, Lucius had found a partner more than a year to early.

The original plan had been for Draco to challenge him during the summer after fifth year. At the earliest.

Harry hummed thoughtfully. There had to be some way for Lucius to be weakened…

Suddenly, Neville bolted upright.

"I got it!" The enthusiastic boy yelled. Waiting for Harry to cast a silencing ward, he continued.

"Your father has those white peacocks he feeds every day right? As relaxation?" Neville questioned Draco.

At Draco's affirmative nod, Neville continued.

"Have your mother coat the peacocks in Rumpling-Sap. It is transparent, can't be smelled or tasted, and it is only toxic if it comes into contact with silk. I don't know how it works exactly, but that's how it is. It isn't deadly, and it is extremely slow working, but it leads to dizziness, drowsiness, and it is addicting in that fresh amounts actually temporarily counteract the effects. So your dad will feel better when petting his peacocks and feeding them. He'll think he's just suffering from lack of sleep or stress. If you have your mother start treating the peacocks once every two weeks, starting next month, effects will start to show somewhere in April. Your mom will have to chew crushed Bale's root to counteract the effects though."

"If your dad starts suffering in April, he'll be really under it by July. Now, you'd think he would have looked for a solution by now. But that's the brilliant part. The sap is _activated_ by silk, but it _affects_ adrenalin. So the effects aren't really strong unless he gets adrenalin pumping through his system. Which means he'll barely notice anything is wrong before your duel!" Neville beamed proudly.

"That… could actually work. Well done Neville." Harry pensively spoke, before smiling earnestly at Neville.

Draco seemed doubtful though, "How much does that sap cost though? I told you already, I'm not exactly rolling in Galleons right now."

"Why that's easy! I'll have Gran send me a Rumpling seed from my private collection. I can ask professor Sprout for some room in one of the Greenhouses and it can serve as extra credit for me. I'd be able to give you the first load of sap in three weeks." Neville offered with a friendly smile.

Deciding that the hopes of both boys were getting to high, Harry interjected, "Now you have to inform your mother without giving your father a chance to find out what you are planning Draco. Seeing as Lucius probably reads Narcissa her mail, I do wish you good luck with that."

Harry returned to his book on silent casting. He was perfecting his ability so he wouldn't be handicapped when the second task rolled by. He simply couldn't count on his elemental ability. If there was some way of monitoring the champions during the task, his ability would be exposed, and Harry simply didn't want that.

As the boys returned to their activities, Draco gave a thoughtful hum, before silence fell between them again. Five minutes later, the soft snores of Neville would be heard as well.

.

.

.

Draco put out the fire under his cauldron and started bottling his potion. It was green with white swirls running through it.

Harry looked up from his book and shot a questioning look at Draco.

"Well you know, just in case. It's not as if I plan on pursuing a relationship with the girl." Draco spoke, before offering Harry a second bottle of the potion.

"No thanks. I plan on building an actual friendship with Susan. She is the Bones heiress after all. I do not plan on ending up in a situation where I could possibly need a bottle of Contraceptive Concoction." Harry coolly replied before continuing in a mock offended tone, "I go through all this trouble to get you a date, and you are simply going to use her. I feel used!"

Draco only grinned before turning to a still sleeping Neville.

"He does know that the Ball starts at eight. Doesn't he?" Draco said, tossing a questioning look at Harry.

"I believe he trusts us to wake him in time. It's only 5.32 p.m. after all."

Upon Harry's reply, Draco got a dangerous smile. Hitting Neville with a mild sleeping charm, he took the boy's watch before advancing it by two hours.

"Would you be so kind as to cast the illusion?" Draco asked the now grinning Harry.

"It would be my pleasure." Harry muttered, before waving his wand a few times at Neville.

The illusion was rather simple. It only worked on Neville, and it would make his surroundings look darker, as if the sun had set already.

Casting a Notice-Me-Not charm on themselves, Harry and Draco watched happily as Neville's warming charm died out, and a shivering Neville woke up five minutes later.

As Neville got his bearings, he looked around puzzled for a few seconds.

"Draco? Harry? Where are you guys?" Neville asked loudly. Getting no reply, a puzzled Neville looked at his watch.

Harry and Draco got to relish the moment as Neville's expression changed from puzzled, to incredulous, to horrified.

"Oh god! I'm late!" The lion yelled out before taking off towards the castle at full speed.

Neville didn't get far though, as Harry and Draco dropped their spells and started laughing riotously when Neville immediately stumbled over his tied together shoelaces.

Picking himself up from the ground, a dirty Neville grumbled at his two companions.

"Bastards! I'll get you for that!" An angry Neville yelled before waving his wand to the left of the two still chuckling wizards.

Whilst the boys had been sitting near the great tree, where the snow had been cleared away, they were now standing next to the lake… In the snow. Draco and Harry paid little attention as Neville's spell seemed to miss them, before both boys got bowled over by a huge wave of snow, knocking them over like bowling pins.

A grinning Neville looked at the two wet and messy wizards before him.

"Now we're even. If you'd please excuse me, I have a Ball to prepare for." Neville stated, before marching of.

Harry and Draco soon caught up to him, and the trio moved towards Hogwarts.

~~~~Scene Break + POV Change~~~~

"Hermione calm down! You look great!" An irate Rachel yelled at a panicking Hermione.

The girls were finishing up their preparation for the Ball.

Hermione was wearing a periwinkle blue dress, her frizzy hair made sleek with gallons of products, a light pink lipstick on her lips..

Rachel was wearing a scarlet red dress, her black hair carefully curled and a deep red lipstick carefully applied to her lips. Both girls were the respective dates of a champion after all!

Hermione would be going with the Durmstrang champion, Viktor Krum. The brooding Bulgarian had asked her in the library. Where they were both spending a lot of time. Hermione for schoolwork, and Krum to flee his fans and to prepare for the tournament. And perhaps also to stare at Hermione… But we'd best keep that last one quiet…

Rachel on the other hand, would be going with Max. Not so much out of any romantic feelings, but rather because Max had needed a date for the opening dance, and he had been planning on asking Susan Bones, who Max considered a beautiful _redhead_. And all Potter men married redheads now didn't they?

Unfortunately for Max, when he did finally ask Susan, she'd long since said yes to Harry. A disappointed Max had shared his conundrum with his friends. After Ginny was mentioned by Hermione, and shot down by Ron, Ron tried to arrange dates between him and Hermione and Max and Rachel. Rachel had reluctantly agreed, but Hermione had already said yes to Krum.

Ron would be going stag, to the glee of all his dorm mates. And to even greater glee of Draco, when he had found out through Neville.

Now, Hermione was panicking because she had started doubting her look. At half past seven. And with a fifteen minute walk to the Great Hall. Where they had to be in thirty minutes. Rachel was understandably irritated.

"Are you sure? What if he doesn't like it? I never have my hair like this and this dress is all itchy and my butt is huge in it and with all those older students and –" Hermione ranted/questioned.

Letting out a pained sigh, Rachel simply took a small bottle of Calming Draught. Hitting Hermione with a Petrificus, she force-fed Hermione the draught before freeing her of the spell.

"Now. Final check up, and then we are ready to go." Rachel dictated, before turning to the mirror again. She was rather pleased with how she looked, but she couldn't help but curse puberty for its late appearance. Hermione was more blessed in that aspect, she looked like a sixth year in Rachel's humble opinion. Whereas Rachel herself was the smallest girl in the dorm in that aspect, judging from the bra sizes the girls had.

Sighing, Rachel took a deep breath. Not that it mattered, she didn't want to impress Max after all. Hopefully there'd be another Ball next year. Perhaps then there'd be a guy she might consider doing her best for.

~~~~Scene Break + POV Change~~~~

Harry grinned. He looked good! Easily passing for a sixteen year old at least, Harry had made sure to get his dress robes to be a bit tight, to showcase his rather impressive physique. His hair had been carefully cut and styled to look as if he came straight off of his broom. He didn't like his biological parents, but he had seen some old pictures of James Potter. Who had been a chaser in his Hogwarts days as well. Harry had to admit that James cut a dashing figure when his hair was ruffled and wind-swept.

Now, Harry had tried that style for himself, by going for an hour long fly and immediately after stepping off of his broom, he'd cast a gelling charm on his hair. He cut a very handsome figure indeed.

Standing in front of the mirror, Harry checked his appearance one final time, before heading out. He'd told Susan that he would pick her up at the Hufflepuff common room after all. He wondered if he'd find a good dance partner tonight. Susan had confided in him that she wasn't much of a dancer, and Harry had to admit that he was rather disappointed.

He himself had actually followed some dancing lessons during the summer. Harry was no fool, the Yule ball was a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament, and as a prospective champion at the time, Harry had badgered aunt Petunia into getting him some ballroom dancing lessons.

To Harry's great surprise, he had found the experience rather enjoyable, although the rather attractive female instructor might have contributed to that as well.

Ah well. Worry about that later, pick up Susan for now.

.

.

.

Harry had picked up Susan, who was indeed wearing a green, rather conservative dress. Susan looked rather good, her bust an aspect of envy amongst her female year mates. Susan's strawberry blonde hair curled down her neck to just below her shoulder blades.

Now, the two were descending the stairs into the Entrance Hall. And they were clearly early. Only professor McGonnagal was present yet. None of the other champions were there yet.

Spotting the professor, Harry subtly guided Susan in her direction.

"Hello professor McGonnagal, how are you this fine evening?" A polite Harry greeted. Thanks to his advanced classes during the past years, McGonnagal had grown rather fond of the talented wizard, and Harry knew that McGonnagal held a soft spot for him. Despite him not being one of her lions.

"I am rather well Mr. Potter, thank you for asking. I was not aware that you and Ms. Bones were close?" McGonnagal answered, a polite smile on her face.

Susan blushed red at the implication and Harry merely grinned.

"Well you see, I must admit that my asking Susan was actually a fortunate turn of events. You see, Neville really likes Hannah Abbot, but he didn't have the guts to ask her out. I decided to help him out by drawing the attention of Hannah's friends. When Susan mentioned that she planned to go alone to the Ball, I saw my chance to get to know her better. So, I asked her to come with me as friends and she, to my joy, said yes. Neville asked Hannah as well." Harry explained.

Susan turned to him, lifting a questioning eyebrow, she spoke, "So I'm just a distraction maneuver to help Neville? Why Mr. Potter, how utterly uncouth!"

Knowing that Susan was messing with him, Harry decided to fire back. Poker face in place, he simply said, "Yes."

As Susan's mouth dropped open in surprise at Harry's unexpected comeback, Harry could see McGonnagal's mouth twitch just the slightest bit. He'd amused her at least.

Grinning smugly at Susan, Harry gave a friendly nod towards Viktor Krum, who had just walked in on his own through the great Entrance doors.

Distracting the attention from himself with his nod at Krum, Harry grinned. So far, so good.

Krum walked up to the small group.

"Hello everyvun. Potter, you did good on the first task. Congratulations." Krum spoke with a nod towards Harry.

"Thanks Krum. You did good as well. I was fortunate that our confrontation offered me an opportunity, or things might have gone differently." Harry spoke politely, a friendly smile on his face.

Krum nodded, "Perhaps. Ve vill see once the next task arrives. Now, vho is your partner?"

"Ah yes, how rude of me. Viktor, meet Susan. Susan, meet Viktor. You already know professor McGonnagal of course." Harry introduced. Krum knew McGonnagal already, as the foreign students shared classes with their respective year mates from Hogwarts. So seventh, sixth and even fifth year had some foreigners in each class.

"A pleasure to meet you." Krum said to Susan.

As the people present started up some small talk, they were soon joined by Roger Davies and Fleur Delacour. Nodding to his Quidditch teammate, Harry grinned when he saw that Roger was having a hard time resisting Fleur her allure.

Deciding to help Roger out, Harry subtly shot a calming charm at the Ravenclaw chaser.

Max then showed up, and he too joined the growing group of people. As more and more students started filing into the Great Hall, the Champions were all waiting for a sign of the final two champions their dates.

Hearing Max suck in a sharp breath, Harry and the others turned toward the staircase. Two very beautiful ladies were descending the stairs. Harry immediately identified them as Rachel and Hermione.

Realizing what he had just thought, Harry did a double take to make sure that these girls were indeed Hermione and Rachel. They were hardly recognizable! Hermione especially could hardly be recognized without the heavy book bag and the enormous head of frizzy hair she normally sported.

Switching his gaze to Rachel, Harry had to admit that she too cut a rather striking figure. The red dress went well with her black hair and the lipstick contrasted nicely with her gray eyes.

Hiding his astonishment, Harry quipped to Susan, "You know, if you wanted to make a dramatic entrance as well, you should have just said so. As it is, I do think you'd have blown some minds if you'd made an entrance like that."

A furiously blushing Susan swatted Harry in the shoulder, but she didn't say anything.

As both girls went to their respective dates, conversation slowly started up again.

After a few minutes of idle small talk, professor McGonnagal called for attention.

"If you'd please line up with your dates. We'll be opening the doors in a few seconds."

Softly taking Susan's hand, Harry let a suddenly attentive Fleur take the lead with Roger. They were followed by Krum and Hermione, Krum ducking slightly down and returning to his brooding appearance. Max and Rachel swiftly followed, trying to avoid getting the position in the back, as that usually was the one that got some more attention.

Taking the final spot, Harry smiled encouragingly at Susan, before turning to the front.

As the doors opened, the small group started moving. As Harry and Susan entered the Hall, Harry noticed one important thing. Percy Weasley was sitting at the Head Table.

Hiding his surprise, Harry leaned over to Susan, "Let's sit close to Percy. I want to know what he's doing here."

Getting a soft okay from Susan, Harry smiled. Seeing Percy gesturing enthusiastically towards Max, and Max looking everywhere but at Percy, Harry leaned forward.

"Max, how about I'll take the seat next to Percy? I do believe you'd be more comfortable if you could talk with Rachel and Hermione instead."

Max was clearly surprised, judging from his owlish look.

"Really? Yeah sure! Thanks Harry!" Max spoke, before moving to take the seat next to Hermione, allowing Rachel to take the seat next to him.

Gesturing for Susan to take the seat next to Rachel, Harry took the seat between Susan and a now disappointed Percy.

"Hello Percy. Did you make a promotion I'm not yet aware of?" Harry spoke to his ginger neighbor.

Harry had clearly chosen the right topic, as Percy immediately smiled proudly and started off a long monologue about his work.

Listening politely whilst enjoying his rather delicious pork chops, Harry came to understand that Crouch was apparently sick, and Percy, as his Secretary, was filling in. Still, it was not like _the_ Barty Crouch to be sick for any length of time. How curious.

Nodding politely at Percy, Harry subtly started changing the subject so that he could involve Susan in the conversation, which he finally managed by mentioning the DMLE.

As they talked on, Harry quietly pondered this. Barty Crouch staying at home… sick? Using only letters to communicate? From what Harry knew, judging by what he had read in books on recent political history, and what he'd seen this year, Crouch simply wasn't the man to act like that. Oh well, perhaps he was looking too far into this.

.

.

.

Everybody had finished eating, and most people were quietly chatting.

Then, the plates and remaining dishes disappeared, and Dumbledore stood up.

"I hope everyone had as delicious a meal as I, now to open the Yule Ball, the Triwizard Champions and their dates!" Dumbledore spoke serenely, before clapping as the Champions stood up.

As Harry took Susan's hand and guided her to the dance floor, Harry spotted Neville and Draco looking at him with anticipatory grins on their faces. They were both under the impression that Harry couldn't dance, as he'd been raised by Muggles. Oh how wrong they were.

A simple waltz started, and Harry started guiding Susan across the floor. Grinning, Harry looked at her, "Are you having fun tonight?"

"Yes," Susan beamed, "But I'm not much of a dancer, so don't expect much from me!"

Smiling gently at the Hufflepuff in his arms, Harry simply waltzed on. He spotted Krum looking remarkably gracious and careful, a beaming Granger in his arms.

Delacour of course was drawing many stares, and Roger was keeping up surprisingly well, thanks in no small part to Harry's earlier calming charm. Roger simply had to build up some resistance against the allure.

Finally, Max wasn't exactly graceful, as he clearly didn't know where to put his hands and feet. Rachel on the other hand was gliding across the floor. Harry had to admit to being surprised. After all, shouldn't Max, as a pureblood, have been taught to dance as part of his etiquette lessons? Even Neville had had those!

Finishing the dance, Harry gave Susan a polite bow as the floor opened up for other couples and another song came on.

"Would you like something to drink Susan?" Harry asked. Getting an affirmative nod, Harry went off to fetch two Butterbeers, before returning to Susan and giving her one.

As the couple sat down at an empty table, they both looked out over the floor.

"Well Hannah seems to be enjoying herself." Susan spoke with a grin, pointing at an absolutely beaming Hannah who was dancing in the arms of a furiously blushing Neville.

Smirking, Harry looked for Draco, who was looking rather smug as he danced around with a softly blushing Mandy in his arms. Harry had to admit, judging from what he could read, that Draco had been quite wise in brewing his potion earlier today.

Looking around some more, Harry spotted a moping Ron Weasley staring at Hermione Granger, with Max and Rachel at the same table, looking out over the dancing couples as well.

As the song ended, Harry and Susan returned to the floor for a simple dance.

When the next song came on, Harry was tapped on the shoulder. Looking behind him, he was surprised to see Max standing there with a hopeful look, Rachel standing behind him looking somewhat less enthusiastic.

"Mind if I cut in?" Max asked Harry, with a hopeful look at Susan.

Looking over his shoulder for a second, Harry spotted Susan's slight blush. Knowing all he had to know, he nodded at Max.

"Sure thing, have fun."

Handing Susan to Max, Harry turned to Rachel, "So, you went with Max?"

"Yes. He's my friend and why do you even care?" Rachel answered. For a second, it might have looked as if she blushed. Then again, that was probably the lighting.

Harry shrugged nonchalantly, "Oh I don't, but I need to find some way of keeping occupied until either my partner is finished or I'm relieved of my duty as her date. Seeing as more interesting people such as Draco and Neville are occupied, you will have to do."

"You're a bastard, you know that right? An utter bastard." Rachel spoke angrily.

Ignoring her, Harry noticed that the song had stopped and another one was coming on. Looking around, he spotted Susan and Max who were still dancing.

Realizing that he wouldn't have to wait around for Susan, Harry spotted Draco and Neville who were sitting with their respective dates, at a table not that far away.

"I come from a perfectly legitimate marriage actually. Now if you'd excuse me, more interesting people have become available." Harry said to Rachel, before moving to the table his friends were sitting at.

Picking up a Butterbeer, Harry sat down with his friends.

Nothing really important came up, Draco was quite busy charming Mandy, and Neville and Hannah were both small talking about everything and nothing.

Harry was ribbing Neville by talking to Hannah about all the rather ridiculous and humiliating things Neville had done in the past four years. Neville was beet red and Hannah was giggling into her hand.

After a few minutes, Susan and Max came to their table. When Susan sat down, nobody was all that surprised, but when Max sat down as well, quite a few eyebrows rose.

Ever polite, everyone just nodded and carried on with their conversations. Rachel soon joined the table as well, sitting between Max and Harry, with Susan on Max his far side.

Krum and Hermione were still dancing, so the Fabulous Four wouldn't be completed, but when Ron showed up as well, Harry, Draco and Neville had a hard time to hide their displeasure.

Draco soon left with Mandy, to walk in the rose garden outside. Neville and Hannah left as well, they went to the Greenhouses, where Neville had prepared a surprise. That left Harry with Susan, Max, Rachel and Ron.

Seeing as Susan and Max were talking about something Harry didn't particularly care about, and Ron wasn't capable of holding conversation, Harry reluctantly turned to Rachel.

"So, do you have anything interesting to tell?" Harry questioned a seemingly bored Rachel.

"Not really, Hermione has been looking in that book about the languages. But she hasn't found anything yet. I'm going home for the rest of the holiday tomorrow, so any training you'd planned will have to be cancelled. And if you know any good dancers, please point them out as I want to dance without having to watch my toes every second." Rachel spoke whilst turning to look at Harry.

"Then she'll have to look harder. If you are going to cancel training because you go home, then I'll give you a list with exercises tomorrow. And I do believe you are looking for an average dancer. Good dancers need a good partner to keep up you see." Harry spoke with a slightly mocking tone.

"I'm a good dancer! I've had classes for three years! And you're one to talk, I bet the only dance you know is that waltz we did at the beginning." An offended Rachel reacted.

Simply lifting his left eyebrow, Harry stood up before extending a hand to Rachel.

"Do prove it." Harry said in a slightly challenging tone.

Rachel immediately took his hand and followed him to the dance floor. As the couple started dancing, Harry had to admit that Rachel was indeed a very experienced dancer. This was actually enjoyable.

Finishing their dance, Harry looked questioningly to Rachel as a tango came on. There were a couple of other couples. Harry was amused to see Dumbledore bowing to McGonnagal, before taking her onto the floor as well.

Getting a nod, Harry changed his hold on Rachel, before looking her in the eye for a second, "I'll lead, so do try to keep up." He spoke mockingly.

Rachel only smirked in reply.

And then they were dancing, and Harry would honestly admit, at least to himself, that it was the most fun he had had all night. Rachel was smooth and graceful, and the passionate tango complimented her quite well.

They were one of only a few couples. Dumbledore was skillfully maneuvering a graceful McGonnagal, and Delacour was stealing the show with her whirling dress and a grinning Roger as her partner.

But before Harry could look any further, his attention was drawn back to the girl in his arms, as they spun over the floor. Harry was having a lot of fun indeed.

Looking at Rachel for a second, Harry could imagine a dancing flame in her place. Passionate and beautiful. Harry himself was like a blizzard, strong and wild yet graceful.

As the song ended, they went for the finale. Dipping Rachel, she leaned back and Harry leaned forward until their faces were only a few inches apart.

For just a second, Harry felt the impulse to lean forward and kiss the girl. Then he snapped out of it and pulled her upright to thunderous applause from the crowd.

But to be fair, the applause wasn't only for Harry and Rachel. A lot of it was from teenage boys who were wildly applauding Fleur, Cedric Diggory and Cho Chang had been dancing as well and they were pretty close to the IT-couple. And of course Dumbledore and McGonnagal had been surprisingly graceful as well.

Giving Rachel an appreciative nod, Harry went to Susan and Max again.

"Susan, I think you'd like it if Max were to be the one who'd bring you to your common room tonight. So unless you really want me to stick around, I plan on going to bed early." Harry said.

"Alright Harry, thanks a lot for the dance and the company. I had fun tonight." Susan answered with a soft blush.

Nodding at Max, Harry turned on his heels before starting to the door.

He could use these few hours to explore the lake some more. Everybody was at the Ball after all.

As Harry left the Great Hall, he spotted Draco walking up the Grand Staircase with a giggling Mandy next to him. Draco had been _very_ wise to brew that potion earlier today.

Harry paused. Should he cast a local Shrinking Charm on Draco… Tempting…

Sighing, Harry turned towards the grounds. He'd grant Draco his fun.

For this one time…

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><p><strong>Great, Chapter 25 is done! I'm pretty pleased. So, tell me your thoughts and other stuff like that, you do this by leaving me a review. Also, I hope you enjoyed the story so far, because I have some sad news. I'm going on a holiday to Turkey for 14 days. I'm leaving the 14th and it's currently the tenth. After that, there's university and stuff like that for which I have to sign up, and I have to make sure my room will be okay, so you won't be seeing any updates until september at the earliest. Sorry! Later 'gator.<strong>

**Peeves'**


	26. A pink beard indeed!

**Surprise update is surprising!**

**Welcome one and all to Chapter 26! Pretty much filler, as we slowly get closer to the Second Task. So leave a review if you feel like it, and enjoy the chapter. In other news: Thank you for the reviews, the alerts and the favorites. Now, ENJOY!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

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><p>The Yule Ball had been eleven days ago, and Harry was enjoying a steaming cup of lemon tea whilst sitting in an empty courtyard, enjoying the early morning chill. The school was pretty empty now, as most had left after the Yule Ball. Draco had actually gone home for the holidays.<p>

Officially, Draco had formally apologized to Lucius and he was repenting for his misdeeds. The unofficial story was that Draco was informing his mother on the correct use of Rumpling sap and his plan to take care of Lucius.

Neville had gone home as well to enjoy the use of the Greenhouses of Longbottom Manor. And he was visiting his parents of course, although Neville wasn't aware that both Harry and Draco knew of this.

There were only a few students in the school, and Harry was the only one of his year. Harry's only company was Cedric Diggory, who was currently flying with Cho Chang at the Quidditch Pitch.

Sipping on his tea, Harry calmly paged through his strategy book. He had developed multiple methods for solving the Second Task, and Harry was currently weighing the pros and cons of each method.

A lot depended on whether or not he would be allowed to fight the other champions or if he had to leave them to their own devices…

Taking another sip, Harry was surprised when his lemon tea was suddenly accompanied by a sherbet lemon which appeared next to his cup.

Grinning, Harry spoke, "Thanks, as if the lemon tea wasn't sour enough on its own!"

As Dumbledore sat down in front of Harry, Harry could see the old man's beard twitch.

"Well you are very welcome Harry. How are you doing today?" Dumbledore spoke with his twinkly eyes at full strength.

"I'm… good. Enjoying a nice cup of tea, I know what the Second Task is, nobody who interrupts my studying and I am comfortably seated. So yes, I am doing good. How about yourself Albus?"

"I am doing very well Harry, thank you for asking. Now, I am here with a reason. I want you to go and check up on your apprentice today." Dumbledore informed Harry. Seeing Harry's questioning look, Dumbledore elaborated.

"I want you to go and make sure that she isn't building up to another eruption. I understand that you have given her exercises to practice her control, but I do not trust Miss Owens to maintain control without any supervision. She is just a normal teenage girl after all, and discipline is not usually a strong suit of teenagers."

Suppressing an exasperated sigh, Harry simply looked at Dumbledore before repeating, "I'm good. Enjoying a nice cup of tea, I know what the Second Task is, nobody who interrupts my studying **and I am comfortably seated**. So yes, I am doing good. How about yourself Albus?" Harry spoke whilst placing emphasis on the relevant part of his earlier statement.

Dumbledore didn't even flinch, he simply looked Harry in the eye for a second before swiftly pulling is wand and banishing Harry out of his seat and onto the floor.

Harry had drawn his own wand during his fall and had retaliated with a color-changing charm and a subtle transfiguration that Dumbledore had failed to notice.

Just the memory of Dumbledore's fluorescent pink beard and hair, made getting a Pensieve an immediate priority for Harry.

"I'll make you a deal, I won't dispel your charm until sundown, and you will do as I asked." Dumbledore proposed with his twinkles at full force.

Allowing himself a grin, Harry nodded.

"Now, if you'd hand me your wand or a second, I'll see about blocking the Trace for 8 hours. Being the Chief Warlock does have its uses after all." Dumbledore said, before waving his own wand over Harry's a few times.

"Very well, and on a side note, if you happen to encounter a Pensieve, would you be so kind as to inform if I could somehow acquire it? I have a memory which I would really like to watch again." Harry said, before swaggering of, leaving a highly amused Dumbledore, a half cup of lemon tea, and a Gobstone disguised as a sherbet lemon, as Dumbledore would soon discover to his unpleasant surprise.

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.

.

Walking out onto the grounds, Harry came to the realization that he didn't know where Rachel lived…

How to solve that? Logically, Hedwig would be able to find her, so all he really needed was a broom.

Summoning his Cleansweep 6C, Harry merely had to focus on Hedwig for a second before Harry could hear her mighty cry ringing through the sky.

Looking up, Harry smiled as he saw his beautiful familiar rocketing towards him.

"I need to find Rachel Owens. Could you show me the way Hedwig?"

Getting Hedwig's agreement, wizard and familiar took to the skies.

It was already 3 p.m. when Hedwig began descending, Harry trailing her still. He had 4 hours without the Trace being active left.

Casting some Muggle-repelling charms on himself, Harry grinned when he saw a man who had been looking at a plane that was flying over, suddenly grow very interested in his shoelaces.

Hedwig landed in front of a modest two-story house at the end of a suburban street. Harry was reminded of Privet Drive, but somewhat more … friendly. People didn't seem to be as focused on privacy and their image here, the cars weren't all perfectly cleaned, the fences didn't seem to be as high and the front yards weren't as well kept.

Shrinking his broom, Harry thanked Hedwig before dispelling his notice-me-not charms. Realizing that he wasn't exactly inconspicuous in his robes, Harry moved towards the front door. Hedwig took off into the sky, starting her return to Hogwarts.

Ringing the doorbell, Harry stood back as he waited for somebody to come and open the door.

After a few seconds, Harry could hear footsteps inside the house. Then the lock clicking back and the handle being pulled down.

The moment Harry caught a glimpse of the person opening the door, he noticed that this person was too tall to be Rachel herself. Which meant that he'd have to deal with one of the relatives at least.

As the door opened fully, Harry came face to face with a rather normal woman. She was about 5 feet 5, give or take an inch. She had rather short hair, which had been dyed blonde and she had a rather athletic build, with no signs of excess fat clearly visible. Wagering a guess, Harry estimated her at about 40 years old.

"Hello, can I help you?" The woman said, looking at Harry with a friendly smile, although he could see her confusion at his choice of clothes.

"Yes, am I at the Owens' residence? I'm looking for Rachel Owens."

"Oh why didn't you just say so? Come in! I'm Julie by the way. I'm Rachel's mother." The woman happily introduced herself.

Before getting a chance to reply, Harry was interrupted by a male voice coming from further inside the house.

"Julie?! Who is it?" A male voice called.

"A friend of Rachel's!" Julie shouted back.

Leading Harry into the sitting room, Julie scampered off to the kitchen.

She came back not two minutes later with a box filled with teabags and some cups.

"Pick any flavor you like, I'll be right back with the water." She said before walking off towards the presumed kitchen again.

Picking out a bag of lemon tea, Harry looked around the sitting room. He spotted some photographs of Julie and Rachel and of the man Harry presumed to be Rachel's father.

The man in the pictures had short hair, which was already grey in the more recent pictures, yet Harry wouldn't give him a day over 45. He too had a rather athletic build, and he was probably around 5 feet 10, give or take an inch again.

As Julie walked in again, bringing the hot water with her, she was accompanied by the man in question, who walked to Harry.

Standing up, Harry shook the man his hand.

"I'm Greg. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Harry, Harry Potter. Nice to meet you as well, sir."

As everybody sat down, Harry took a sip of his tea before complimenting the Owens' family on their house. After other necessary pleasantries were taken care of, Harry came to the point.

"Now, Greg, Julie, it's clear that Rachel isn't here right now. Which is not bad, but I do have a rather important question to ask her. Would you happen to know if Rachel has been practicing her ability to control fire?"

The adults shared a look with each other before Greg spoke.

"Yes, the first day after returning home, Rachel did all kinds of things in the backyard. It was rather scary to see actually. She must have been out there for something like four or five hours. When we asked, she said that Harry had given her those exercises. I take it that you are the Harry she spoke of?"

"Indeed. You see Rachel has a very rare talent. She has the ability to control one of the elements to a degree far greater than that which wand magic could ever accomplish. This talent is so rare, there are only two people at our school currently in possession of it. Rachel is one, and I am the other. Seeing as Rachel unlocked her talent only recently, she has little control over it. This is dangerous because if she gets extremely upset, she might lose control over her ability to control fire, instead merely letting the fire control her." Harry explained.

Seeing the shocked faces of both Greg and Julie, Harry did his best to calm them.

"But we have means of preventing that. I unlocked my talent when I was seven, and I mastered it many years ago. I was appointed as Rachel's tutor by the Headmaster. I train with her, twice or thrice a week, to make sure that she masters her element. And she has made great progress already. But you see, if she doesn't practice enough, the fire starts building up in her core again, and the possibility of losing control reappears. This is why I gave Rachel a list of excercices, along with set times and dates for when to practice them. In total, there were four and a half hours worth of exercises. An hour and a half each for a period of four days."

Leaning forward, Harry looked both adults in the eye for a second, to make clear how serious he was about this.

"Now, are you absolutely sure that Rachel only practiced on the first day of her stay here?"

Seeing the fear in the faces of both parents, Harry suppressed a growl.

Maintaining his polite voice, Harry spoke again.

"Do you happen to know where exactly Rachel is?"

"No, she left after lunch. She went into the city for the day. Said she was going to meet up with some old friends to catch up. By now she could be anywhere in Leeds." Julie said, anxiety clear in her behavior.

Filing away the information that he was currently in Leeds, Harry stood up.

"Don't worry, I will see about tracking down Rachel on my own. Thank you for your help, and please, do not worry, everything is under control." Harry spoke, before striding towards the door.

Opening it, Harry cast another Muggle-Repelling Charm, as well as one of his Notice-Me-Not-Charms.

Giving a polite wave at Julie and Greg, who were unaffected as they were already aware of Harry being there, Harry turned to the road before putting away his wand and breaking into a run.

Jumping onto the street, Harry landed on all fours. Only, where Harry should have been, was now a majestic Arctic Wolf.

Sniffing the air for a few seconds, the wolf took off at full speed towards the city center.

Turning to his wife, Greg spoke enthusiastically, "You reckon Rachel will learn how to do that?"

Julie simply fainted.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Sprinting towards the city center, Harry did his best to sniff out Rachel's smell. It was now 4.27 p.m., so Rachel had left her house at least two hours ago, seeing as she'd been long gone when Harry had arrived at her house at 3 p.m.. Harry was really having a hard time sniffing her out from the thousands of smells lingering in the air.

Dodging past an unsuspecting Muggle, Harry got a strong whiff of the scent he'd analyzed as Rachel's. Following the stronger scent, Harry ended up in front of a small pub. Transforming back to human, Harry transfigured his robes into a deep-blue t-shirt and an average pair of jeans.

Looking sufficiently Muggle, Harry dispelled his charms before entering the café.

The pub was rather average, there were a couple of older guys playing cards in a corner, two of the regulars enjoying a beer at the bar, and a rather unclean bartender.

Not spotting any teenagers, Harry went for the bartender.

"Hello sir, excuse me, but did you happen to notice a girl, about my age, same length, with long, black hair and brown eyes in your establishment?" Harry asked the bartender politely.

" 'S none 'f your business kid. Now order s'mthin or piss off." The man grumbled.

Suppressing a sigh, Harry merely looked the man in the eye. Using Legillimency on the man, Harry soon found the memory he was looking for.

Rachel, in the presence of a couple of other girls, enjoying various fizzy drinks and giggling and chattering. Doing his best to understand what the girls were talking about, Harry just picked up something about a movie which would start at five thirty.

Irritated, Harry scanned through the man his mind for any information of a nearby movie theater. Harry turned up only one matching location. Memorizing the location and the shortest way there, Harry left the man his mind before striding out of the pub.

Recasting his Notice-Me-Not and his Muggle Repelling charms, Harry transformed again before sprinting towards the movie theater. The scent was getting stronger as well, so he was definitely on the right track.

.

.

.

Transforming back, Harry looked at the building in front of him. A smaller theater with three or maybe four auditoriums.

Maintaining his charms, Harry strolled right past the ticket booth and into the theater itself.

Clearly, Harry was too late, as all movies were playing, and Rachel was now in one of the dark rooms where Harry would have a rather hard time recognizing her.

Deciding that a movie could hardly upset Rachel into erupting, Harry looked around for a second. Summoning a bucket of popcorn to him, Harry conjured a comfortable recliner before settling down in a corner to continue working on his strategy book.

As Harry had a perfect view of the doors of all the auditoriums, he would simply look up whenever he heard one of them opening.

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.

.

Glancing at his watch, Harry noticed that it was already 6.49 p.m. That meant that he had only 11 minutes of wand magic left. Seeing as flying back to Hogwarts would take at least four hours, Harry was now displeased. He'd been planning on exploring the Black Lake again.

Muttering a curse, Harry was just about to turn back to his book when he heard one of the doors open.

Glancing up, Harry was pleasantly surprised to see that Rachel had left her movie. Only to be followed immediately by a guy. A big guy.

Watching the situation unfold, Harry had to suppress his instincts when the guy grabbed Rachel's arm and spun her around so she was facing him.

Standing up and moving towards the two, Harry casually dispelled his charms as he came within hearing range.

Getting a better look at the guy, Harry guessed him at around seventeen or eighteen years old. He was around six feet already, probably weighing something around 200 pounds, and almost all of that seemed to be muscle.

"Don't run away from me Rachel! We're going to have a good time together. I've been looking forward to this for weeks, ever since your dad mentioned that you'd be coming home for the holidays. Now how about we go somewhere private huh?" The guy spoke soothingly, trying to charm Rachel probably.

Yanking her arm free, Rachel slapped him in the face. Hard.

"Stay away from me Rick! I want nothing to do with you, leave me alone!" Rachel yelled, before trying to run off.

Rick immediately grabbed her arm again and yanked her back. Clearly, he was angry now.

Reaching the arguing duo, Harry noticed exactly how red Rachel was turning. She was shaking a lot as well.

Realizing what was about to happen, Harry immediately put his right hand on Rachel's right shoulder. Standing on Rachel's left side, Harry immediately started channeling as much cold through his arm as he could.

Noticing Rachel lean into him, Harry looked at the clearly shocked Rick.

"I believe, Rick, that your presence is unwanted. Now if you'll excuse us." Harry spoke icily, before turning around with Rachel, and starting towards the exit.

Just as he could feel Rachel cooling down a bit, and slowing her shaking, Harry could feel a heavy hand clamp down on his left shoulder.

"Oi! Get back here. I wasn't finished with you."

Giving Rachel an encouraging pinch, Harry removed his hand before slowly turning around.

"Listen, Rick. Rachel is clearly not interested. This really doesn't have to get messy, so just back off, and let us leave." Harry spoke, staring Rick in the eye, before he could use Legillimency though, Harry was surprised by a hard shove from Rick.

Taking a step back, Harry slowed his breathing and started preparing for the inevitable fight.

"How about you back the fuck off or I'll kick your ass you little pussy!" Rick yelled, taking a threatening step forward.

"That's fine by me, we'll just leave then." Harry said, before trying to leave with Rachel again.

Just as Harry thought that Rick might have actually fallen for it, he was yanked back by his shoulder.

"YOU leave. Rachel stays." Rick said threateningly, trying to his length and bulk to his advantage by leaning over Harry.

Suppressing a snort at the poor intimidation attempt, Harry took a step back before saying clearly,

"Rachel clearly doesn't want anything to do with you. Now you will let us leave. Touch either of us again, and I will be forced to take care of you through more painful means." Harry calmly said, before motioning for Rachel to start moving towards the exit.

As Harry heard Rachel start moving, he himself kept an eye on Rick. When the taller boy didn't seem about to act, Harry turned around as well. Starting to move, to catch up to Rachel, Harry listened closely if he could hear Rick moving.

The punch to his head came as a surprise then, as Rick had moved near soundlessly.

Managing to catch himself before he fell, Harry turned around to see a surprised Rick, who had clearly thought that his punch would have leveled Harry. Another reason for Harry to thank Dudley.

Adapting a boxing pose, Harry prepared for the now inevitable fight.

Harry could see that Rick was about to rush him, as the taller boy rolled his shoulders once before his legs tensed.

As Rick charged, aiming for Harry's nose with his right fist, Harry sidestepped to the left before punching Rick solidly in his stomach.

Turning around, Harry noticed that the taller boy barely seemed to have noticed the punch.

Realizing that this wouldn't be all that simple, Harry stepped in before unleashing a quick one-two combination to Rick's face.

Stepping out to avoid the retaliatory left hook, Harry assessed whether or not he had dealt damage this time.

Judging from the dazed look in Rick's eyes, the lack of response to Harry's earlier response had been an exception, rather than the rule.

As Rick charged again, Harry leaned out of his right, before ducking under his left.

Retaliating with a devastating uppercut to Rick's chin, Harry felt something crack in his fist the moment he made contact with the taller boy's chin. This was immediately followed by a stinging pain in his fist.

Fortunately, Harry would have to continue his fight, as Rick fell to the ground, and he didn't get up again.

Cursing softly, Harry turned around only to come face to face with an upset Rachel.

"What are you doing here!? You could have gotten seriously hurt! I had everything under control!"

"I came to check up on whether or not you were doing your exercises. I could have, but I didn't. No, you most definitely did not. Now, we are going to go outside, and you will take us to your house as fast as possible." Harry commanded, looking at Rachel until she angrily turned and started stomping off.

The moment Rachel turned, Harry examined his hand closely.

The skin had split and he could feel that he had broken at least two bones. Not being allowed to use magic any longer, Harry didn't really have that many options right now. Ripping off a piece of his shirt, he wound it around his hand, as tight as he could.

Catching up to Rachel, Harry made sure to stay on her right side, so she wouldn't be able to see his broken hand.

Walking in silence, the two started towards Rachel's house.

A silence that was soon broken by Rachel.

"Well? Why are you still here? I already did my exercises so there's no reason for you to stick around." Rachel spoke in a mix of honest curiosity and anger.

"Yes. You already did your exercises and that is precisely the problem. I gave you a schedule to go with those exercises! A **mandatory** schedule! Because you did all of them on your first day here, your reserves have been building up again ever since. Leading to the point where you almost burned down a movie theater had it not been for my timely appearance. Now, please keep quiet as you're getting on my nerves." Harry answered coolly.

Taken aback, Rachel kept quiet as well.

They walked in silence for the remainder of the trip.

Eventually arriving at Rachel's home, Harry followed her as she led them around back. Stuffing his broken hand in his pocket, Harry hid a wince as they walked inside. It was 9.32 p.m. by now.

Walking into the living room, Harry stood back as Julie and Greg fired a true crossfire of questions at Rachel.

They'd been called by Rick's dad, who had been less than pleased when his son had been brought home with a swollen face and a busted chin.

As Rachel explained what had happened, Harry subtly sneaked off, hunting for a bandage to replace the filthy piece of cloth that he currently had around his hand.

Finding the bathroom, Harry soon found the family's emergency kit. Taking out a bandage, Harry set his hand so he would be able to lay it around his broom, before firmly winding the bandage around it. Wincing as he pulled it firm, Harry was unpleasantly surprised when he heard a shocked gasp coming from the bathroom door.

Firmly tying the bandage, Harry looked over to see Rachel in the doorway.

"Merlin! Are you alright?" Rachel said as she hurried over to check Harry's hand.

Harry would never admit exactly how nice it was to have Rachel worriedly hovering over his hand.

"I'm fine. I'll have Pomfrey fix me up once I get back to Hogwarts." Harry said.

"You will do the second string of exercises on the assignment sheet, tomorrow morning, and the third string in three days. Now if you'd excuse me, I have a long flight ahead. And thank your parents for the tea, it was very nice." Harry said, before leaving the bathroom.

Walking out the back door, Harry used the command he had set earlier to undo the shrinking charm on his broom, before taking off for Hogwarts.

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><p><strong>So, I'm giving you another chance at influencing the story. During the Second Task, will the Champions be allowed to fight each other? Answer through review or PM. Please leave a review and have a nice day.<strong>


	27. So, you like swimming?

**So, I guess it's been a while huh? Well, I am back. Obviously. So, thank you for the reviews, the alerts, the favorites and even the views. All of that is much appreciated, and I hope that most of you appreciate the story as well. After all, why write if nobody likes your writings? It would be different for talking to myself because in that case I have the voices in my head who can talk back, but we all write as one so we can't all read it at the same time. **

**Anyways, ignore my slightly delusional ramblings. Enjoy Chapter 27!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

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><p>Carefully moving the fingers of his right hand, Harry was pleased to note that his hand had returned to 100% functionality. His astonishing knock-outpunch of Rick had been six days ago, but due to the fact that he had been forced to fly back to Hogwarts with a broken hand, he had aggravated his injuries. So when Pomfrey had finally gotten her chance to heal Harry, she had mentioned that he would have to stay for two nights in the Hospital Wing.<p>

Immediately disagreeing, Harry had managed to persuade the nurse to simply have him check in daily for a potion or two. That meant that the healing had taken longer, but at least no useful time had been spent during the revalidation, as would have been the case if Pomfrey had gotten her way.

Now, Harry was moving to the Great Hall for dinner. Having been busy all day, Harry knew that the students who had left for the holidays would all have returned by now, even though he hadn't seen any of them yet due to the fact that he had spent the past six hours on the lake bottom.

Wherever he would have to go in the lake, he would be able to get there in 12 minutes at most. And that would be without using any of his abilities.

So know, having finally finished exploring the entire lake, Harry was looking forward to a relaxing dinner, and then an enjoyable evening read in his dorm.

Those plans were shattered the moment Harry moved into the Great Hall though, because the moment he set foot into the Hall, a redheaded menace popped up on either side of him.

Glancing to his sides, Harry noticed that Fred and George seemed rather enthusiastic about something. Harry himself was somewhat less pleased though.

"You both are aware that I want to be a silent partner to your shop, right?" Harry questioned emotionlessly, in a tone low enough so none other than the twins would hear him. The threat that came with his question remained unspoken, although both twins seemed to have picked up on it.

"Why good sir!" Fred exclaimed in a mock offended tone.

"Of course we are!" George yelled equally enthusiastic.

"But this is not to do with that!"

"We merely wish-"

"To know when-"

"You have time-"

"To meet with us!"

Wondering once again exactly how the twins managed to do the whole twinspeak thing to such a degree, Harry kept a normal expression.

"After dinner, Fifth floor, East Wing, the third classroom in the second corridor. You need to tickle the door under its knob to get in. Now let me eat in peace." Harry spoke calmly, not questioning for even a second that the twins would do as he commanded.

Getting a nod from both twins before they splintered off towards their own table, Harry could hear one of them mutter, "He isn't exactly the most friendly fellow around now is he?"

Not having bothered with an eavesdropping charm, Harry didn't manage to catch the reply of the other twin. He'd just tell them later, that if they were going to complain about someone, they should do so out of earshot.

Sitting down, Harry gave a nod at Draco and Neville before starting to fill his plate.

As Draco and Neville started bantering about publically acceptable topics, Harry simply enjoyed his dinner whilst throwing in the very occasional comment.

Scanning the hall, Harry smiled politely at Susan Bones when she looked his way, before continuing to look for oddities.

He spotted one at the Gryffindor table, where a blushing Rachel was being questioned by the other three quarters of the Fabulous Foursome.

Inconspicuously keeping an eye on the Gryffindors, Harry was surprised when he spotted the Foursome looking at him. Granger was looking at him calculatingly whilst Weasley 6 seemed envious and Max seemed unsure of something.

Rachel was looking at Harry with a clearly conflicted expression.

Deciding that he didn't like the stares he was getting, Harry looked up at the Four, before lifting an eyebrow and looking at the Gryffindors with a mixture of curiosity and _'ugh, inferior beings.' _

That worked, as all four immediately averted their eyes.

Deciding that he couldn't be bothered with figuring out what went on in those of such… limited intelligence, Harry turned back to his food. He would have to meet with the twins soon after all.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Entering the room in which Harry planned on meeting the Twins, he was pleasantly surprised to see that both were already present. And they actually seemed willing to be serious for once.

Sitting down on the first available bench, Harry was amused to note that the twins were going to give him an actual lecture.

Leaning back, Harry spoke calmly, "You may begin. But do keep the whole finishing each other's sentences to a minimum."

Nodding, the twins started. As George showed designs and prototypes and drawings, Fred would explain what they were showing.

"Canary Cream. Eat it and you are transfigured into a giant canary for a few minutes. We have managed the transformation and the duration, but we are still looking for a way to let you keep your clothes." Fred spoke, whilst George held up a seemingly normal piece of candy.

"Fever Fudge. The name is self-explanatory. One half gets you a high fever. Leave class, get to the Hospital wing, eat other half and enjoy your free hour of not studying." Harry examined the candy closely, with the two separate halves, it was indeed a rather efficient product.

"How far are you with developing it?"

"We have gotten the required effect, but unfortunately not without side-effects that make flying very uncomfortable. We are looking to eliminate those and then this will be ready for sale." George explained.

Nodding, Harry gave his first real input, "Expand on that. Merely puking will get suspicious to soon and it is too easy to find a counter for only one effect. So make more. Nose bleeding, Fainting and Diarrhea come to mind."

Pulling out a notepad, George started scribbling whilst Fred continued with a few more products such as fake wands and Ton-Tongue Toffees.

As Fred finished up, Harry hummed thoughtfully.

"Well the products seem good and there is definitely a market for it. I would suggest you perfect your designs some more and then start testing the products on volunteers. Try the first years. If you keep this up you can start advertising and selling on a small scale. I don't know how happy the professors will be about you selling these things at school, so consider keeping it quiet or setting up an owl-order business. Do that and we'll meet up again sometime next month."

Getting nods from the twins, Harry left as soon as he could, not wishing to listen to the twins rapid back-and-forth discussions.

Stopping at the door, Harry turned around again, "Oh, and if you plan on betting on the Second Task, then I suggest you bet on me as the winner."

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Two more weeks.

Two more weeks until the Second Task.

Some would think Harry to be tense and sleep-deprived like Max. Some would think Harry to look like Fleur, whose once radiant beauty was now covered by somewhat greasy hair and her normally beautiful complexion had gained an unhealthy pale color. One might even think Harry would be like Krum, isolated and spending his days and nights all alone with his food brought to him by a mute house elf up in the crow's nest of the Durmstrang ship.

Harry was none of these. If you looked at Harry, you wouldn't even realize that the task had gotten so close!

Of course, there was an explanation for the behavior of the other three Champions. The golden egg.

Whereas Harry had approached the problem with logic and diligence, the other three had all postponed. Max because that was part of his character, Fleur and Viktor because they had thought that their Headmasters would have helped them.

Fortunately for Harry though, all judges had been forced to swear far more strict oaths after the first task, due to the fact that the three Champions had been aware of the first task.

So now, with all his opponents stressed and having started their preparations way too late, Harry was enjoying a game of pick-up Quidditch with Draco and Neville.

They weren't really playing a game, as Harry would have smoked his non-Chaser friends too easily, but they were having fun and in Harry's case, working out.

Unleashing a devastating curling shot, Harry was highly amused when he could hear the wailing of a golden egg. Looking over towards the Durmstrang ship, Harry could barely make out a brooding Krum looking pensively at the golden object in his hands.

As Harry watched, he could see Krum tensing.

Realizing what was about to happen, and not willing to give his opponent even this chance at finally unraveling the egg, Harry shot off towards the lake.

Seeing Krum cock his arm back, Harry adjusted his course so that his following action would seem more like a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing instead of like a deliberate action, Harry watched as Krum threw the egg away and towards the lake surface.

Intercepting the egg easily, Harry caught it by leaning out on his broom and performing a Sloth Grip Roll with one hand on his broom, and one on the egg.

As he finished his spin, Harry flung the egg back at Krum, making clever use of his momentum to do so.

Not even bothering to talk with Krum, Harry merely flew back to the Quidditch Pitch. His competitors would find out about the Egg soon enough, even if he had delayed Krum for now. Max had Granger who was almost at the correct page in the book, Delacour had her half-Veela parent, who would immediately recognize a Mermaid's song when the girl finally swallowed her pride, and Krum had Karkaroff who was such a rotten bastard that he'd find a way around the stricter oaths soon enough.

Shrugging, Harry returned to his friends. He would win either way, whether his competitors would know about the task or not.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Taking a deep breath of the cold February air, Harry allowed a pleased smile to appear on his face.

Harry's eyes fell on his competitors. Fleur was anxiously looking at Bagman already, clearly waiting for the start of the task. Her entire body was rigid and she kept shooting looks at the lake.

Krum was his usual brooding self, even though he seemed somewhat more tense then usual as well.

Max was looking doubtful. His eyes kept darting towards the stands where Rachel was seated. Weasley and Granger seemed to be missing though. _Curious_

Looking towards the judges, Harry saw Karkaroff and Maxime both staring empathically at their respective champions, whilst Dumbledore was happily twiddling his thumbs. Bagman was summarizing the first task again whilst warming up the crowd, and next to them was Percy Weasley again.

Harry paused his thoughts, which had been on three different subjects at the same time, and focused his considerable mind on the curious case of Percy Weasley.

_What's he doing here? I can understand Crouch having been sick once, but there is no way that __**the**__ Barty Crouch would be sick for this long. And even so, why would he keep Percival as his replacement? The boy is highly inexperienced and there are far more qualified individuals for such a position. _

_Something isn't right here, and as it seems to involve the Tournament, it would be prudent for me to find out._

_Let's see, other bizarre events during the past months. Well, the logic start would be Pettigrew escaping and fleeing to lands unknown._

_Attack at the World Cup by Death Eaters, and the appearing of an actual Dark Mark._

_Max Potter being selected as Triwizard Champion, having been entered by an unknown third party._

_If there are more, then they are not public knowledge._

_So let's see, what unites these events._

_Pettigrew is a Death Eater, which ties in with the appearing of the Dark Mark, but Pettigrew has not been seen, and due to the Anti-Animagus wards around the stadium, there is no plausible way for him to have been there. So, a second Death Eater, one who still supports Voldemort._

_The attack was unrelated, seeing as they fled the second they saw the Mark appear._

_So, we now have a loyal Death Eater who still actively follows Voldemort. We also note that Barty Crouch, one of the strongest opponents of Voldemort, mysteriously falls ill and he leaves his duty to an under qualified rookie. _

_Is the Death Eater responsible for Crouch's disease? And how does he tie into Max's selection?_

_I'll have to talk to Dumbledore about this. After the task._

Deciding that he'd done all he could, Harry put the subject aside and started paying attention again, and not a second too soon, as Bagman put up his wand and let off the loud bang that served as the starting signal.

Now, seeing as the champions weren't allowed to directly fight each other, Harry simply ignored his opponents as he took a running start towards the lake, whilst pulling his wand out of its holster, and a simple marble out of his pocket.

Transfiguring the marble into a surfboard, Harry jumped into the water with the board under his body.

Using the board to stay afloat, Harry put his wand under water and bellowed "Aguamenti!"

Rocketing off towards the center of the lake, Harry took the opportunity to look over his shoulder.

He could just see Fleur disappearing into the waters with a telltale Bubblehead Charm to provide her with fresh air. Viktor was knee-deep in the water, slowly morphing into a shark. Max was stumbling towards the water whilst clearly gasping for air, the gills on the side of his neck would explain the gasping.

Grinning happily when he realized that he was already ahead, Harry kept up the Aguamenti until he was in the middle of the lake.

Casting a Bubblehead Charm, Harry dove into the water before using another Aguamenti to reach the bottom of the lake. Using his elemental powers wasn't an option seeing as there were indeed small orbs following each champion, that transmitted what was happening onto large screens that had been placed for the crowd to watch.

Rapidly nearing the lake bottom, Harry was displeased when he had to dodge a swordfish of all things.

_So they added non-native creatures? Interesting._

Seeing a first chance at hindering his competition, Harry decided that Krum would have the hardest time defending himself against this creature.

So, a compulsion charm later, Harry set the swordfish on its way to attack any sharks it might encounter.

Continuing his descent, Harry soon saw his target, the merman village.

Touching the lake bottom, Harry cancelled his Aguamenti before moving towards the village center. He soon spotted his target, a large rock with four unmoving shapes tied to it.

Harry spotted silvery hair, which probably belonged to somebody who was family of Fleur. The next thing Harry spotted was the trademark Weasley hair, Max's target. Then Harry spotted Granger, who would be Krum's to retrieve.

Finally, Harry turned his attention to his own hostage. And really, Harry had to admit that he would indeed miss this guy if he lost him.

Moving towards his cousin, Harry was unpleasantly surprised when 5 mermen barred his path to Dudley.

Pointing their spears at him threateningly, the message was clear: 'You'll have to get past us.'

Letting out an annoyed sigh, Harry did the only logical thing he could.

He attacked.

Taking aim at the rightmost merman, Harry managed to hit him with a strong banisher before his opponents realized what was happening.

As the merman got knocked into the side of the second mermen from the right, the two got tangled up and even made it to the middle merman. So Harry had just two opponents to worry about for now.

Acting quickly, Harry conjured a shield to block the thrown spear of the leftmost merman. Using his elemental abilities to make the jab that the remaining merman threw at him, miss, Harry shot his shield at the spear wielding merman, before rushing forward and putting his wand to the neck of the unarmed merman, who had been busy with pulling a knife from his… belt? It appeared to be a belt at least.

Turning the merman so that he served as a meat shield, Harry slowly moved to the hostages. Using the knife he had taken from the merman to cut the ropes that were holding Dudley, Harry did the simplest thing he could, he combined the Bubblehead charm with an Engorgio. Placing Dudley in the Bubble, Harry was surprised to see his cousin wake up.

Realizing that Dudley was now in grave danger if the Bubble were to pop, Harry stabbed the merman he was using as a shield in the stomach. A non-lethal blow, but one that required immediate medical attention nevertheless.

As the remaining merpeople focused on their wounded, Harry pushed the merman away before casting an Aguamenti to catch up to the rapidly ascending Dudley.

Deciding that what he was about to do couldn't constitute as hindering his opponents, Harry cast a subtle Notice-Me-Not charm over the remaining hostages whilst climbing. After all, he was merely protecting the hostages from the now enraged mermen!

Okay maybe that wasn't his goal, but it was a valid excuse never the less.

As he got nearer to the water's surface, Harry stopped paying attention to his surroundings for a second, instead preferring to look downwards, where he could just spot a trail of red blood.

Seeing as mermen had greenish-blue blood, Harry dared to wager that Krum had indeed found his way to the village, after having been wounded by the swordfish Harry had so lovingly sent his way.

It therefore came as quite a surprise when Harry suddenly felt something coiling around him before clamping tight around him.

Immediately looking for the cause of his current predicament, Harry was more than displeased when he spotted one of the enormous tentacles of the Giant Squid.

Looking at the creature, Harry couldn't tell why the beast had chosen today of all days to become aggressive, but he did know that he wasn't planning on ending up like supper for a squid of all things.

Cursing, Harry tried to free either of his arms, only to come to the conclusion that those were both pinned to his body.

As the Squid started tightening its grip on him, Harry noticed how he had a progressively hard time to breathe. He could literally feel the Squid constricting his ribcage.

Keeping his calm, Harry decided to try and scare the Squid off. Barely having any air left, with how the squid was now threatening to break his ribs, Harry resorted to a non-verbal Lumos Maxima.

As an enormous part of the lake was lit up by Harry's spell, he was most displeased when the Squid reacted by not only tightening its hold, but also squirting a load of ink at him.

Now officially panicking, Harry suddenly had a brainwave.

'_HEDWIG! I need cold and lots of it!' _The young wizard thought as hard and frantically as he could.

Fortunately, his mighty familiar obeyed his call, and the entire watching crowd was treated to the sight of Hedwig dive-bombing the lake.

As Harry's familiar leveled out just above the lake surface, she started circling progressively faster, creating a blizzard within the circle she was flying. The crowd was treated to the sight of a rapidly freezing Black Lake as Hedwig kept speeding up and cooling down.

Sensing the cold, the Squid tried to withdraw away from the rapidly growing glacier that Hedwig was creating not fifty feet away.

As the Squid moved its tentacles to start moving towards the deeper parts of the lake, a now completely breathless Harry saw his chance.

In its instinctive movements, the Squid had moved itself so that Harry now had his legs pointed at the Squid's head. And coincidentally, Harry's wand was pointing in the same direction.

Not thinking rational any longer, due to his sever lack of oxygen, a rapidly fading Harry put all of his considerable power into a one-shot knockout blow.

'_Bombarda Maxima!'_ The young wizard thought, not even taking into account the fact that he himself was very close to the Squid's head.

As the Squid got struck by the spell, and almighty shockwaves rippled through the lake, Harry was immediately released as a now terribly wounded Squid fled towards the lake bottom.

Harry however, wasn't out of trouble just yet. The enormous blast generated by the Bombarda, had not only blown a crater into the head of the Squid, it had also broken Harry's right leg and the subsequent shockwaves had given him a severe concussion.

Fortunately, adrenalin in and of itself is a wonderful thing. Combine it with magic, and Harry didn't even notice his wounds as he rocketed upwards towards the lake surface.

Literally flying out of the water, Harry got some big air to survey the lake surface.

Hedwig had stopped circling, and had been hovering in the air above him, ready to intercept Harry if he showed up, which he now had done.

So just as Harry was about to start his descent, Hedwig offered her tail feathers and Harry grabbed them without even thinking about it.

As Hedwig glided towards her self-created glacier, Harry was pleased to spot Dudley on the glacier as well, and his beloved cousin didn't seem to be having a good time for some reason.

"Harry you bastard get me off of this thing and onto dry land or so God help me I'll break your nose next time we spar!"

Amused, Harry considered leaving Dudley on the glacier, only to realize that he wouldn't get his points until his cousin had actually touched dry land.

Ah well, he could have his fun some other time.

Letting Hedwig speed up, Harry grabbed Dudley by the scruff of his neck as they passed him.

Having a hard time to hang on to Dudley's considerable weight, Harry was pleased when Hedwig's innate magic relieved him of most of his stress.

As they reached the shore, Harry unceremoniously dropped Dudley onto the ground before having Hedwig set him down gently and having his beloved bird land on his shoulder.

Only then, to the thunderous applause of the crowd and the screams of Delacour to please go back and save her sister, '_as if I would ever do that. Save her yourself you silly girl,_' did Harry realize that he was wounded. And so, he didn't protest as the rapidly approaching Pomfrey pulled out her wand and threw blankets over himself and Dudley.

Ignoring all the others, Harry thanked Hedwig before turning to his cousin, "So Dud, I didn't know you liked swimming?"

* * *

><p><strong>So, I do hope you liked this. After all, it finally held the in my personal opinion somewhat uncool second task. But hey, there really isn't that much that can be done with this Task that hasn't been done before, without changing it completely. So, just be happy with what I got you and if you don't like it then sell it on E-bay! (that's probably spelled incorrectly? innit?) Eugh, anyway. No Harry-Rachel interaction in this chapter, which is realistic, seeing as they don't really have any contact out of their Master-Apprentice meetings. I did notice that opinions on Rachel are quite split. Which is unfortunate, but also expected, after all, I'm going with the whole: 'They're only 14 gosh darn it!'-approach.<strong>

**Now, please ignore my clearly delusional ramblings, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and that you please leave me a review. So, with that out of the way, I politely bid you Adieu.**

**Signing of,**

**Peeves'**

****_Unexpected extra which is unexpected:_

_Harry was enjoying a nice cup of lemon tea, when he had a vision. In it, he saw himself as a Gryffindor. He didn't have elemental powers and he didn't have any advanced knowledge. His vision showed him moments of friendship with Weasley and Granger, there was even a flash of himself kissing Weasley 7. There was a flash of himself getting mistreated by the Dursley's during a summer vacation, he could impossibly know when this was, as the Harry he saw looked far younger than he actually was. This judging from the fact that the boy had gotten his Hogwarts letter when he seemed to be a mere eight-year old. There was a flash of himself crying over his dead parents, crying over a dead Sirius, crying over a dead Lupin, crying over a dead Dumbledore._

_Finally, Harry's vision ended. Shaking his head for a second, he took another sip of his lemon tea. "Huh._ _Interesting_."

**Hi again, I would like to point out that the unexpected extra which is unexpected is not a part of the actual story, and it will not be talked about again. You may view it as a parallel universe in which Harry is a Seer on top of all he is in this universe. This will not be talked or written about again, it was merely a spasm of a brain that seems to have gone slightly beyond mad. I wonder what the word is for mad+1?**


	28. You know, I'm HP's cousin

**Hi, I would like to thank you all for the reviews, the favorites, the alerts, etcetera etcetera. Thank you for reading this story and I hope you will enjoy the chapter.**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

* * *

><p>"<strong>Ladies and gentlemen if I may have your attention please."<strong> Bagman's voice boomed over the stands.

As everybody turned to Bagman as one, Harry winced when Pomfrey jabbed her wand into his broken leg before muttering a spell.

"Be careful woman!" Harry hissed before paying full attention to the judges again.

"**After having carefully reviewed the events which transpired in the lake, by means of the viewing orbs, and after careful deliberation, the judges have decided to award the following scores."**

"**Fleur Delacour used a Bubblehead Charm to great effect, however she got ambushed by grindylows and was forced to forfeit the task after sustaining injuries and thus not succeeding in rescuing her hostage. We award her 25 points for her efforts. This gives her a total of 64 points."** Bagman spoke, before pausing as some polite applause came from the crowd. Fleur didn't even seem to notice as she was currently crying her eyes out whilst crushing her sister to her.

"**Max Potter used Gillyweed which enabled him to breath underwater for precisely one hour and which enhanced his body to be more efficient in water. After facing grindylows as well, Max was forced to fight a merman guard who managed to injure Max with his spear. Persevering with a wounded right shoulder, Max reached the merman village in third place. After their encounters with Viktor Krum and Harry Potter, the merpeople weren't willing to get wounded again, so they merely let Max free both his own hostage, Ron Weasley, as well as Fleur's hostage, Gabrielle Delacour. Unfortunately for Max this took quite some time due to the Notice-Me-Not Charm courtesy of Harry Potter. This shows great moral fiber and perseverance, we therefore award Max Potter 37 points, as he returned last and was wounded. This brings his total to 62 points."** Bagman paused again, allowing the Gryffindors at least to rally behind 'their' champion, with applause and some cheering.

"**Viktor Krum managed a complete human-to-animal transfiguration, successfully transfiguring himself into a shark. Viktor easily killed the grindylows that attacked him before getting wounded by a swordfish attacking him in the side. After disposing of this threat, Viktor managed to reach the mermen village mere seconds after Harry Potter had left it behind. Profiting from the confusion and the heavily wounded mermen in the village, Viktor managed to free his hostage before the merpeople even noticed his presence. Viktor then bit of the hand of one of the mermen before grabbing Hermione Granger's robes in his mouth and racing off towards the shore. Arriving in second place, and just out of the time limit, we award him 41 points. This brings his total to 80 points." **Bagman barely managed to finish before loud applause and cheering came from the Durmstrang students. They started a rhythmic "KRUM! KRUM! KRUM" quite reminiscent of the World Cup, before finally quieting down, allowing Bagman to continue.

"**Harry Potter used the Bubblehead Charm to allow underwater breathing, but instead of immediately opting for going underwater, Harry traversed as large a distance as possible, above the water, giving him a great lead and allowing him to avoid the grindylows. After steering his surfboard to the center of the lake, Harry started his descent, successfully dodging a swordfish and compulsing it to search out other predators in the water and attack them instead. Intended or not, this proved quite the annoyance for Viktor Krum, as he was forced to face a swordfish without a wand because of this." **Bagman paused to take a breath, and Harry noticed the dirty look Karkaroff was shooting him.

"**Harry finally reached the village, where he was confronted by five merpeople, who tried to stop him from freeing his hostage. Harry fought and subdued his opponents, eventually wounding one of them grievously to create enough of a distraction so that he could free his Muggle cousin and hostage, Dudley Dursley. Sending Dudley towards the lake surface with some clever spells, Harry followed his cousin after casting some subtle notice-me-not charms to protect the remaining hostages from the fury of the mermen. This proved a disadvantage for Max Potter, but Viktor Krum had already spotted the hostages at that point, hence him not being influenced."**

"**Unfortunately for Harry, he wasn't out of danger yet, as he got attacked by none other than the normally docile Giant Squid. The Squid attempted to choke Harry, and got very close to succeeding, had it not been for the timely interference of Harry's familiar, Hedwig. Thanks to the distraction caused by Hedwig, Harry managed to hit the Giant Squid with a Bombarda Maxima, leading to potentially lethal wounds. The Squid is being tended to by none other than Rubeus Hagrid right now. Harry didn't manage to take the Squid out without breaking his own leg though."**

"**Finally, after escaping the Squid and launching himself out of the Lake, Harry and Dudley were carried on to land by Hedwig thus finishing in first place despite facing the most dangerous of opponents the lake has to offer. For great ingenuity and swift execution, we award Harry Potter 45 points. Harry got closest to a perfect score, but his broken leg made that impossible. This gives Harry a total of 91 points thus maintaining his first place in the Triwizard Tournament!"** Bagman finished his long summary. The silence that tried to settle was immediately shattered as three quarters of Hogwarts started cheering, clapping, applauding and shouting loudly.

Managing to hide his smug grin, Harry merely looked over at Dudley when the latter called his name.

"Oi Harry, do these people throw parties?" Dudley questioned Harry with an expectant look on his face.

"Of course they do, why?" Harry answered with a question, even though the answer was clearly visible on Dudley's face.

"Because judging from the amount of girls I hear cheering, this may well be the night when the 'You know, I'm his cousin.'-line is actually going to work!" Dudley yells with a devilish smile.

Not even bothering with a reply, Harry turns to Bagman as the man finally manages to restore order.

"**So, leading up to the Third Task, the current ranking is: 'Harry Potter still in the lead with 91 points. Viktor Krum losing some ground but maintaining position with 80 points. Fleur Delacour dropping from a shared second to a solo third place with 64 points. And Max Potter closing in on third place but still in fourth with 62 points! That's all for today, we will see you all again for the Third and final task on June 24****th****!"**

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Turns out, the 'I'm Harry Potter's cousin'-line, DOES work.

Harry looked on, hiding his incredulity, as Dudley moved off with a very attractive sixth year Gryffindor.

Looking around at the party going on in the Ravenclaw common room, Harry winced as he felt another stab in his leg.

Glancing at his leg, Harry spotted the bandage splint Pomfrey had place not twelve hours ago, once he had gotten his scores after the Second Task.

And now, the Ravenclaws were celebrating, Dudley was most definitely celebrating, and Harry was sitting in the eye of the proverbial storm, a small Cone-of-Silence around him, a cup of lemon tea within reach, and a good book on compulsive animation charms on his lap.

Opening his book again, Harry read for a few minutes, before he realized that he still had to see Dumbledore about the issue with Mr. Crouch's absence.

Cursing softly, Harry stood up, grabbed the cane he was forced to use for the next week, seeing as he refused to stay in the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey could only do so much if Harry refused to rest, and started moving for the exit.

.

.

.

"Come in, Harry." Dumbledore's voice sounded from inside the office.

Harry had come to Dumbledore's office as soon as his still throbbing leg allowed. Now, he had finally reached his mentor's office, and he was ready to discuss what bothered him.

Entering the office, Harry drew himself a comfortable recliner in Ravenclaw blue, and a small side table, on which he planned to place the cup of lemon tea Dumbledore would probably offer him.

"Ah Harry, how wonderful to see you again. Although I thought you would have been enjoying the celebrations in your common room. Would you like a lemon drop?" Dumbledore said, whilst popping a lemon drop into his own mouth.

"No thank you, I'll have a cup of lemon tea though, if you're offering." Harry responded, sitting down in his recliner before glancing at the portraits hanging on the walls.

They were faking sleep. Again.

"Of course, of course. Mipsy! Could you get Harry a cup of lemon tea please?" Dumbledore answered.

Both wizards were quiet until Harry had his tea to sip from, and Dumbledore had popped in another lemon drop.

"Now then, what brings you to my office at this hour, Harry?" Dumbledore asked with his ever present twinkle.

Putting down his tea, Harry sat upright before looking at Albus.

"Crouch is sick and doesn't come to work for at least two full months. He doesn't even bother with getting a decent replacement, instead opting for an under qualified rookie. A Dark Mark appeared after the World Cup, routing the Death Eaters. Pettigrew escaped and probably fled to somebody capable of protecting him. And Max Potter gets selected as a fourth champion for the Triwizard Tournament. It smells fishy and I want to know why." Harry explained before leaning back and sipping some tea.

Dumbledore hummed thoughtfully whilst Harry waited.

After a minute, Dumbledore let out a soft "Ah.", the sign that he had just come to a conclusion or decision.

Harry was proven right as the old man spoke,

"Then I believe a visit to Crouch Castle is in order. Would you like to accompany me Harry?"

Nodding, Harry was surprised when Dumbledore stood up.

Spotting Harry's questioning look, the old man twinkled again.

"Why Harry, this situation requires swift handling. Now come along, I'm not getting any younger!"

Standing up, Harry drank the last of his tea before grabbing his cane and moving after the Headmaster.

Having descended the moving staircase, Harry and Dumbledore left the Entrance Hall side by side.

For any who would have watched them as they moved onto the grounds, they would have been an odd sight.

The old, thin and tall man with the long grey beard and hair, in his fluorescent purple robe, and the young man with the build of a gymnast next to him, limping and using a cane to walk whilst wearing a simple black robe with some blue and bronze accents.

Even amongst wizards and witches, these two were oddballs.

Be that as it may, neither of them cared as they strolled onto the grounds and started moving towards the Forest.

Harry was surprised by that, as he had reckoned they would have gone for the gates and Apparated to Crouch Castle as soon as they cleared the wards. Dumbledore clearly had other plans.

Deciding not to question the old warlock, Harry simply followed as they passed the first trees in the Forbidden Forest, and were soon deep enough so that Hogwarts was no longer visible.

Arriving in a clearing, Dumbledore paused before emitting a sharp whistle sound from between his teeth.

Throwing a questioning glance at his Headmaster, Harry got his answer when he spotted the head of a Thestral poking from between two trees.

Soon getting the company of another Thestral, the two creatures slowly moved to Dumbledore.

Letting the larger one sniff his hand, Dumbledore smoothly climbed on top of it before looking expectantly at Harry.

Understanding what he had to do, Harry copied his Headmaster's movements with the smaller Thestral before muttering "Crouch Castle" in its ear.

After whinnying loudly, Harry's Thestral took flight, gaining the company of Dumbledore and his own Thestral.

As Harry and his Headmaster flew over the Hogwarts grounds, Harry asked, "Why not simply Apparate?"

Dumbledore merely smiled benignly, "This is far more pleasant Harry. Old people like me need their comforts."

.

.

.

As the Thestrals started descending, Harry examined the building which had come into sight.

Crouch Castle wasn't of the caliber of Hogwarts, but it was pretty big nevertheless. The castle was three stories high, and it had an actual moat in true medieval fashion. Harry was rather impressed actually. The Crouch family had risen to prominence in the 12th century, and it was then that the Family house had been built.

After over 800 years, the building still stood and was still inhabited by people descending from those who had originally built the Castle he was now gazing at. There were many forms of immortality, but this one may well be one of the most impressive ones. To leave a legacy that will last for ages. Your name to be remembered, generations after your grandchildren's children had passed from the earth.

Touching down, Harry and Dumbledore thanked their Thestrals before allowing the equines to leave. They would not be needed for the return to Hogwarts.

"Come along, Harry." Dumbledore spoke, before moving for the gate into the Castle.

As Harry and Dumbledore moved crossed the moat, a House Elf appeared in front of them.

"What will sirs be wanting?" The little creature asked politely.

"I would like to speak with Barty. His long absence from the Ministry has me worried." Dumbledore spoke softly, never breaking his stride.

As he followed Dumbledore, Harry noticed the Elf growing more tense with every step he and Dumbledore took.

"Master Barty is being sicks. Sirs be going now, Master Barty not allowings visitors." The Elf spoke demandingly, whilst taking a defensive stance.

Dumbledore paused at that.

Whilst Elf and wizard stared at each other, Harry decided he couldn't be bothered. Whipping out his wand, Harry fired a silent Stunner at the little creature, seeing as it was focusing on Dumbledore, and thus had foolishly neglected to keep an eye on Harry as well.

Seeing the Stunner hit, Harry didn't pause his walk, Dumbledore tutting beside him.

"You know Harry, there might have been another way to solve this. You should not resort to violence so easily."

"Perhaps, but it is without question that no other method would have been equally efficient. Now, shall you knock, or shall I?" Harry questioned, whilst looking at the wooden gate that barred their way.

"Go ahead my boy." Dumbledore answered softly.

Considering the gate for a second longer, Harry looked at the wall on either side of the gate. Those had been warded as heavily as the gate itself. Thus entering like that was not an option. The gate itself was out of the question, seeing as it was warded heavily, and it had an Alarm-Ward on it as well.

So, if you cannot move on the x- or z-axis, you must look at the y.

Looking above him, Harry noticed more heavily enchanted walls. Which left going down.

Looking down at his feet, Harry was pleasantly surprised to spot simple cobblestones. Simple, unenchanted, unwarded cobblestones.

Waving his wand, Harry watched as the stones moved away leaving a simple circle of normal earth.

One Drilling Spell later, and Harry was looking at a 9 feet deep manhole.

Jumping in, Harry casted a lot of cushioning charms to soften the landing enough not to aggravate his broken leg.

Now in the manhole, Harry turned to where the gate should normally be. Another Drilling Spell, and Harry started gradually advancing. He could hear the soft thump of Dumbledore landing behind him.

When he deemed his advance to be sufficient, Harry stopped his Drilling Spell.

Aiming straight above him, Harry used a more subtle Drilling Spell, to create a molehill in the courtyard 9 feet above him.

Once he could see the sky again, Harry used a softly muttered "Porposo" to get out of his tunnel and into Crouch Castle.

Once Dumbledore had joined him, Harry paused for a second, waiting for the man his evaluation of the solution he had found for the problem which the gate had posed.

"Sufficient, although you forgot to check the lock which held the gate closed. That wasn't warded or enchanted, so a simple Alohomora would have done the job as well. It is stunning how often we forget that which is right in front of us. But your solution worked as well, so let us move on." Dumbledore spoke with his now absurdly strong twinkle, before turning on his heel and moving for a door on the far side of the courtyard.

The moment Dumbledore turned his back on him, Harry face palmed before following behind the wizened wizard.

Dumbledore walked into what seemed to be a kitchen, paused for half a second, before turning right and continuing onward.

Following behind Albus, Harry was surprised when Dumbledore led them up a floor, before pausing.

"Harry, it is of the utmost importance that you listen closely." Dumbledore spoke in a whisper, whilst continuously examining his surroundings.

"I can sense the signature of Lord Voldemort here. No matter what we encounter, do not hesitate to react with lethal force if you deem it necessary. Do you understand me Harry?" Dumbledore spoke whilst staring into Harry's eyes.

It was one of those moments when Harry saw the warrior behind the grandfather. Nodding to show he had understood, Harry took a deep breath before doing his best to detect Voldemort's signature as well.

He could faintly sense just the slightest hint of Darkness. Something vile, wrong, foul, permeated the air. It seemed to grow stronger towards the stairs that went upstairs.

Allowing Dumbledore to lead, Harry followed his mentor until they paused in front of a closed door on the third floor.

Looking at Dumbledore, Harry readied himself by casting a numbing charm on his broken leg as the Headmaster aimed his wand at the door before looking at Harry.

Both men took a deep breath before Dumbledore nodded at Harry whilst throwing a silent blast of magic at the door at the same time.

As the door was blown into pieces, Harry rolled into the room whilst letting of a Lumos Maxima and shooting Stupefy's in the direction of what magic he was capable of sensing.

Harry was unpleasantly surprised when he had to duck away to prevent a spear that was flung at him from tasting flesh.

Scrambling for cover, Harry fired of a retaliatory Piercer before levitating a bookcase in front of him and transforming it into a two feet thick stone wall, behind which the young wizard crouched.

It was then that he could hear Dumbledore speaking, "Give it up Tom, you cannot win this!"

A cold shiver crawled down his spine as Harry heard the sibilant hiss that answered the Headmaster, "We ssshall sssee about that, Dumbledore!"

Looking up from his cover, Harry spotted Dumbledore fighting two enchanted suits of armor, one wielding a sword and shield, the other wielding a large two-handed axe.

Not understanding why Dumbledore hadn't defeated these simple foes yet, Harry got his answer when Dumbledore fired a Reducto, only for it to be nullified as the shield bearing knight intercepted the spell on his shield.

Deciding that Dumbledore would dispose of his opponents sooner rather then later, Harry looked at the remainder of the room.

Crouch lay on the ground, Stunned. A disgusting hump of flesh lay on an armchair in the corner. That was probably Voldemort.

Wormtail had pulled his wand and was currently facing Harry, still too stunned to actually send a spell at Harry.

And there was another knight, who had pulled a crossbow and was currently aiming at Harry.

Before the knight could fire, Harry ripped the floor between him and his adversaries up, allowing it to catch the crossbow bolt before slamming it down again, causing the entire room to shake.

Dumbledore used that handily as he froze the ground between the suits of armor in front of him, who were both clearly unprepared for such an uncommon tactic.

Dumbledore disposed of his opponents within the next three seconds.

Harry on the other hand leapt over his wall and jumped at the knight, whilst conjuring magically reinforced boxing gloves right onto his hands after having dropped his cane.

Wormtail had finally overcome his shock and tried to fire a curse at Harry, only to take an uppercut to the chin which sent the pathetic man flying. His flight would end when he crashed into the wall behind him rather painfully.

Harry ducked an attempted blow to the head from the knight, who was now wielding a mace, before hitting the armor in the stomach with as much force as he could muster.

The result was rather amusing as Harry punched the torso clean out of the remainder of the suit. That caused the suit to collapse, and now both wizards turned to Voldemort.

"_Nagini!"_ Voldemort hissed angrily, before waving his pathetic hand at the bearskin that lay in front of his chair.

As the bearskin rose up and morphed into a full bear, Harry could hear an angry hiss behind him, _"PREY!"_

Instinctively jumping to the left, Harry collided heavily with the wall. That was better than the alternative though, because where he had stood not a second ago, a humongous snake now flew through the air.

As the snake landed and turned around to face Harry again, Harry could hear Voldemort chant something which made the hairs on his arms rise.

"Raise minions to protect your lord. Raise minions to protect your crafter. Raise minions to cause more slaughter!"

Dumbledore, who had easily disposed of the bear Voldemort had sent at him, was horrified when he saw the creature suddenly entering via the two windows on either side of Voldemort, as well as through all three doors that led into the room.

Immediately conjuring a fire whip, Dumbledore started moving for Harry, Voldemort forgotten in order to protect his student, who was just dodging another lunge from Nagini.

As Nagini lunged at him again, Harry leaned to the left before nailing the snake in the head with a magically reinforced punch.

That sent the snake flying as it crashed into the ground next to Wormtail.

Spotting the Inferi, Harry immediately realized his situation. Good as he might be at ice and water spells, fire spells were somewhat of a weakness for him.

Casting his strongest firewhip, Harry wasn't surprised when the pitiful thing that came out of his wand burned orange and was barely a centimeter thick.

Fortunately, Dumbledore soon arrived and together the wizards could pull of a brutal piece of slaughter.

As Harry focused his whip into a small ring of fire to surround him and Dumbledore, Dumbledore created a ring as well, the only difference being that his ring surrounded not only himself and Harry, but also all of the Inferi.

Whilst Harry focused on maintaining his spell, Dumbledore slowly pulled his ring closer, as if he were tightening a noose.

The Inferi soon realized what was happening, but they had nowhere to run as they were soon severed into halves as they either got caught by Dumbledore's tightening circle, or they ran into Harry's carefully maintained circle.

After a minute, all of the Inferi were dead again, and Harry and Albus dispelled their fires.

Although they had handily disposed of an army of Inferi, they had been uncapable of preventing Voldemort, Nagini and Wormtail from escaping.

Fortunately, the Stunned Crouch had been left behind, and seeing as he hadn't been moving, the Inferi hadn't bothered with him.

Repairing an armchair, Harry sat down heavily. Disabling the numbing charm on his broken leg, Harry hissed in pain when his leg started throbbing so hard that he almost let loose a few tears. Almost being the keyword.

Whilst Harry sat down and fought back the worst of the pain, Dumbledore had moved for Crouch.

Enervating Crouch, Dumbledore and Harry watched as the man slowly regained consciousness.

"What? Dumbledore? How? I-" The man mumbled before growing still.

After a few seconds, Dumbledore moved to help Crouch up.

"There you go Barty. Please, what do you remember about Voldemort ending up in your house?" Dumbledore asked gently, whilst sitting the weakened man down in the chair Voldemort had been using not five minutes ago.

"I- There- He- Barty?" Crouch mumbled in a weak, confused tone.

Sighing, Dumbledore turned to Harry.

"I dare not use a Petrificus, as Barty's magic might lash out uncontrolled if I do that. Would you please restrain Barty and make sure that no matter what happens, he is not able to break eye contact?"

Nodding, Harry stood up before gingerly walking to Crouch. Putting his cane down next to the chair, Harry placed his hands on either side of Crouch's neck to make sure that the man wouldn't be able to look away from Dumbledore.

Signaling his readiness, Harry watched as Dumbledore Legillimenced Crouch.

After five minutes, Dumbledore let out a deep gasp and Crouch went limp.

"Albus?" Harry questioned cautiously, not knowing what the older man had seen.

"Apparently, Peter Pettigrew is not the first to escape Azkaban. That honor apparently goes to Barty Crouch. … Junior."

At Harry's continued silence, Dumbledore continued,

"Barty here, helped his wife execute a swap. She was dying, and wanted to save her son from Azkaban. So, with the use of Polyjuice, she and Junior switched places. A fake burial later and Madam Crouch was officaly dead, whilst a true burial at Azkaban resulted in the official death of Junior."

"Junior was kept under an the Imperius, with the house-elf Winky as his babysitter. It was Winky who managed to convince Senior that Junior deserved a trip. Senior then let Winky take Junior to the World Cup, were Junior stole none other than Max Potter's wand, before firing of the Dark Mark, which resulted in Winky being fired. It also made Voldemort realize that there were still loyal followers out there. Well, that, and Bertha Jorkins, who had seen Junior already and who had been Obliviated by Senior."

"Voldemort and Wormtail came here, liberated Junior and Imperiused Senior instead. Junior was then sent on a mission by Voldemort whilst he and Wormtail resided here. Senior was kept under Imperius and forced to act as if he were sick, communicating with the outer world via owl only." Dumbledore explained, getting a pained groan from Senior and an incredulous look from Harry.

"So we have no clue as to Junior's whereabouts?" Harry questioned with an expectant look at Senior.

"All we know is that Junior got a mission from Voldemort and was expected to report back here on a regular basis."

"Great. That's a wash. The only mission I could think of would relate to Max being entered in the Triwizard Tournament…" Harry muttered. And then the proverbial light bulb turned on.

"The Triwizard Tournament!" Harry exclaimed whilst looking at Dumbledore.

"Of course, of course, Bertha was aware of the Tournament, so Voldemort would have found out through her as well. Knowing the Tournament was taking place, Tom saw his chance to get to Max, all he needed would be to get him into the tournament. But the only secure way to do so would be by Confunding the Goblet and making it believe that Max was the sole participant from his school." Dumbledore spoke whilst still making connections.

Harry took over, "So Junior somehow got into Hogwarts, Confunded the Goblet, and entered Max' name. To do that, Junior would have needed to sneak past whoever was patrolling the Ground floor during the night, as there was no other plausible time when someone could have Confunded the Goblet without being noticed. So the question is, how did Junior get past the patrolling staff member? Or WAS Junior the patrolling staff member? Wouldn't be the first time that somebody on the staff is on Voldemort's side. It could have been a foreign delegate as well…"

Dumbledore hummed thoughtfully.

"Clearly, Junior is still at the school, seeing as he must give periodical reports to Tom. If he is still at the school, I believe I might have a way of tracking him down…"

At Harry's questioning glance, Dumbledore chuckled.

"Not tonight Harry. Tonight, we shall take Barty with us to Hogwarts, entrust him to Madam Pomfrey's care, and then I believe it prudent if we were to retire for the night."

Harry winced as he stood up.

"Oh, right. I do believe I cannot accompany you to the Hospital Wing. You see, I kind of promised the Matron not to aggravate my wounds… And I seem to have failed that…"

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><p><strong>So, that's Chapter 28. Leave me a review if you like and enjoy the rest of your daynight. Also, for those who don't know this: If you favorite a story, you will not be informed if it is updated. So just favoriting me/this story, that won't do you all that much good. You should seriously consider putting me/the story on alert. That way, you will be able to keep up with the updates. If you want to, that is.**

**Thanks for reading and goodbye.**

**Peeves'**


	29. You can sleep when you're dead!

**Hi guys, chapter 29 here. I won't be apologizing for the wait, as it's something you are unfortunately going to have to get used to. Anyways, 4,077 words with Disclaimer and AN. Quite a bit of action at the start. Introduction of somebody who has been asked about loads of times already. That's all I guess, read, enjoy, review. None of that is mandatory of course, but I'm quite grateful for all three of them.**

**Now without further ado, I give to you: Chapter 29 - You can sleep when you're dead.**

**AN: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

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><p>Limping towards his common room, Harry let out a tired sigh. It was five in the morning, he hadn't had any sleep in almost twenty four hours, had a broken leg he dare not show to Madam Pomfrey again and he'd been in a fight to the death with: a big snake, animated suits of armor, zombies and a Dark Lord, which had ended two hours ago.<p>

So now Harry was returning to the Ravenclaw common room in an attempt to catch some sleep. A plan that just had to be foiled when he noticed the Patronus that came sprinting toward him.

Immediately recognizing the goat as it came to a halt before him, Harry ignored the urge to start banging his head against a wall, and he merely listened as Dumbledore's voice rang through the hallway.

"_Harry, Junior is in Moody's office. He is probably disguised as the real Alastor Moody. Get there as soon as you can. He has Max. I'm on my way as well. Use whatever means necessary to stop him!"_

Cursing, Harry threw a longing glance at the end of the corridor, where he could see the eagle door knocker, before turning around and breathing in. When he breathed out, the air was not warmer, as it usually is, no, it was frigid.

Waving his hands whilst dropping his cane, Harry created a slab of ice, and a wave of water.

Using the ice as a body board, Harry used the wave he had created to start boarding towards Moody's office.

This unique mode of transportation caused a problem when Harry neared his first turn, before the young prodigy solved the situation in a simple way, he simply conjured a bobsled track before dissolving the wave of water.

Rocketing towards Moody's office now, Harry readied his wand. He could see Moody's office door at the end of the hallway.

Dissolving his bobsled track, Harry glided on using his board.

Casting another numbing charm on his broken leg, Harry cursed mentally when he realized that he would end up visiting Madam Pomfrey after all.

Jumping off of his board, Harry let it dissolve as he himself rolled two times before popping upright and ending up in front of Moody's office door.

Harry could hear no noises from behind the door, which meant either a silencing charm, or there was nothing noisy going on in there.

Blasting the door open, Harry stepped into the room, conjuring a small marble slab in front of him to serve as a hovering shield.

Taking in the situation, Harry immediately had to dodge to the left, to avoid two Killing Curses, whilst using his hovering marble shield to catch a Entrails-Expelling Curse. Unfortunately, Harry wasn't capable of dodging the Muscle-Rotting Curse that hit his already broken leg.

_I forgot about the bloody eye!_

Harry started firing a wide variety of bludgeoners, piercers, stunners and other curses, to force the Moody-lookalike on the defense, whilst also managing the counter for the Muscle-Rotting Curse Junior had shot at him. Although the counter didn't undo the effects, it stopped the effects from spreading. Which was something at least.

Max sat in the center of the room, his back to the door. The boy was desperately squirming in his chair, trying to see who was now assaulting Junior, who had apparently been talking to Moody before Harry had entered.

Moody, who Harry was going to refer to as Junior from now on, to avoid confusing himself, was blocking or countering all of Harry's curses before being forced to allow a Flipendo to hit him whilst stopping a strong piercing curse and weaving through two bludgeoners.

As Moody got pushed back, Harry summoned the chair Max was sitting on towards him.

Whilst Max was placed in the corner, Harry kept an eye on Junior.

Both wizards were tense, ready to act as a moment's notice.

"Potter! That's 100 points from Ravenclaw for attacking a professor and detention with me every night for the remainder of the year!" Junior yelled out.

"You fired two Killing Curses at me… Barty. The game is up, we know who you are and we know what you plan on doing. Now put down your wand and lay down on the ground with your hands on your head." Harry coolly responded, quite content with taking as much time as possible.

Dumbledore was on the way, so Harry had just one goal right now: Stalling.

"So… You know who I am. Then you know what I'm capable of boy. Put your wand down and sit on your knees. I'll stun you and you want have to get involved any further."

Harry merely looked at Junior incredulously, "Do you honestly think I'd trust the word of a Death Eater Barty?"

Harry had hoped that Barty would waste more time on trying to convince him. Unfortunately, Barty seemed to be aware that he had to hurry as well.

Seeing Junior start moving, Harry moved as well.

He couldn't dodge, as Max was a sitting duck, and Harry was the only thing between Junior and Max. And although Junior didn't act as if he wanted to kill Max, that wouldn't matter as any spells the impostor fired would be fired with the intention of hitting Harry. Not his brother behind him.

So, knowing that he couldn't possibly keep up a battle where he was forced to intercept every single Unforgiveable Barty fired, Harry had to resort to his elemental powers.

Conjuring multiple discs of ice, Harry repressed the urge to dodge away from the green curse flying at him, instead letting the curse be intercepted by one of is ice discs. As the disc exploded into shards, Harry had the shards fly at Junior's normal leg while sending another disc to intercept the next Killing Curse.

To Harry's surprise, Junior wasn't capable of dodging, and his leg got mangled by razor sharp pieces of ice.

The impostor immediately lost his footing and Harry took the opportunity to fire of an Incarcerous and a Stupefy.

Junior managed to roll away from the Stupefy, but wasn't capable of dodging the ropes Harry sent at him. The man managed to turn his wand on himself before the ropes hit though.

So although Harry had Junior tied up, the impostor had his wand tucked beneath his own chin. Harry tried to take a step towards him, only for Junior to shout.

"Stay back! I will die for my lord to protect his secrets!"

Spotting the manic gleam in Junior's eye, Harry slowly stepped back again.

Realizing that the madman was probably unaware of Dumbledore being on the way, Harry realized that he needed something to keep the impostor focused on him.

"I'm going to untie Max and let him leave. Once he has left the room, we can negotiate, alright?" Harry said, whilst slowly moving to Max whilst making the absolute minimum of moves.

Noticing Junior's eyes both riveted on him, Harry slowly started working on the ropes that bound Max to his chair. Without his wand of course.

Whilst fiddling with the ropes, Harry ignored Max, who was clearly in shock, instead focusing on the ropes, whilst periodically glancing at Junior to make sure that the impostor was fully focused on him.

Noticing that Junior was still fixated on him, Harry continued slowly untying the ropes. He simply had to gain a little more time…

The next thing anybody knew, there was a bright flash and a loud bang, followed by a beeping tone and eyesight slowly returning. Harry couldn't help but curse himself for ever mentioning the existence of a flashbang to Dumbledore. The old man just HAD to create a spell to mimic those effects.

When Harry finally regained eyesight and hearing, it was to the sight of Dumbledore briskly moving towards him and Max with a knocked out and disarmed Junior in the background.

"You're getting slow in your old age Albus." Harry joked, before sinking to his knees with an exhausted sigh.

Whilst Albus freed Max with a few simple flicks of his wand, Harry stood up before conjuring a fresh cane. Grabbing it, Harry took a deep breath before casting a subtle silencing charm on himself before undoing the numbing charm on his leg again.

Immediately, his leg felt as if it was impaled by thousands of burning daggers. Crying out in agony, Harry was relieved that Max and Dumbledore hadn't noticed thanks to his silencing charm.

As the pain dulled somewhat, from an intense 9 to an average 6, Harry undid his silencing charm whilst keeping a blank face.

Turning to Albus, Harry patiently waited whilst the headmaster was asking Max how he had ended up in Moody's office and what had happened here.

Apparently, Moody had ran into Max whilst the latter was on his way back from a nightly kitchen visit. Moody had talked to Max for a minute, taken five points and had sent him off to bed. Just as Max had been leaving, Moody had hissed in pain whilst grasping his arm. Max had stopped and asked the impostor what was wrong, and during that, Moody had hissed two more times.

The man had then looked at Max evilly before stunning him. Max had woken up whilst tied to a chair in Moody's office. Moody had started ranting about his great master and his masters brilliance and how Max would pay for what he had done.

During Moody's rant, Harry had come into the office and from there on it had been a Mexican Standoff until Dumbledore himself had arrived.

As Max finished his explanation, Dumbledore hummed.

"Very well, Max I suggest you return to your common room now and try to get some sleep. Speak of what happened here tonight to no one until I give you permission to do so. Harry, I fear you shall have to visit Madam Pomfrey, you are risking permanent injury as it is. I shall take care of Junior. Also, Alastor shall be joining you in the hospital wing shortly, Harry."

Max nodded and left, whilst looking at Harry questioningly, finally realizing that it was weird for a fourth year to be present and act as part of a rescue mission, when Dumbledore had plenty of professors to choose from.

Harry threw another look at Moody, before eventually leaving as well, obviously limping and leaning heavily on his cane. He had clearly pushed his leg too far this time. He could only hope that all the damage would heal if given time.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

When Harry woke up, it was to doors banging open and the affronted sound of Pomfrey reprimanding somebody for making too much noise.

The second thing Harry noticed, was that his leg _hurt_. Slowly moving into an upright position Harry glanced around for Pomfrey. The damn woman should keep him drugged! That was the sole reason for visiting the hospital wing! Not feeling like shit when you are sick or injured!

"Pomfrey!" Harry yelled out, "Drug me, you infernal woman!"

Harry wasn't paying any attention whatsoever to the other people who were currently in the hospital wing.

Had he done so, he might have spotted a familiar pair of emerald green eyes looking at him inquisitively from where the owner of those eyes stood, in front of one of the other beds in the hospital wing, on the other end of the hospital wing.

Pomfrey finally came bustling over whilst Harry was seriously considering another numbing charm, despite the disadvantages of slowed healing and the strong pain he would feel when he lifted the charm.

"Mr. Potter! Stop making such a racket. This is a hospital wing. And I will not drug you! As it is, you have aggravated your injuries so much that I fear you might never heal fully!" Pomfrey told Harry with a fiery look. Clearly, Pomfrey did not take well to so much noise in her hospital wing.

Knowing that this isn't the moment to make a comment about PMS-ing women, Harry instead questions, "Can I at least get something against the pain? And it is not _my_ fault that everybody in this bloody country seems incapable of standing up for themselves!" Harry answered in an insulted voice, how dare that woman insinuate that he had willingly or knowingly caused himself injury!

Pomfrey let out an aggravated sigh, "Very well Mr. Potter. I can get you a pain relief potion. Seeing as you missed breakfast, you either wait for lunch which a house elf will serve you in half an hour, or you can call an elf right now. Now drink this." Pomfrey said, before offering Harry a fluorescent yellow potion which had purple swirls running through it.

Harry accepted and downed it immediately whilst Pomfrey marched to her office again. Letting out a sigh of relief as the pain finally ebbed away, Harry leaned back into his pillow before calling Hedwig through their bond.

Mere seconds later, Hedwig winged her way into the hospital wing via an open window. The bird flew for Harry's bed before perching on his headboard where she started to softly croon a song.

Harry closed his eyes and tried to relax. He really needed more sleep after all.

In the meantime, Lily Potter finally focused on Alastor Moody again. The Ex-Auror was spending some time in the hospital wing as well, and she, along with her husband, Sirius and Remus, had come to visit the man.

Sirius and James had made a horrible racket when they had entered the hospital wing, which resulted in Remus placing a Muffliato around Moody's bed, so that the conversation that was currently taking place, wouldn't anger Madam Pomfrey any further.

"Come on Mad-Eye! Max needs you! Voldemort is clearly targeting him and good as we are, everybody knows you are the greatest Auror the Department has seen in the last century!" Sirius exclaimed.

Lily nodded along with Sirius' statement. After all, this was the main reason for their visit. To get Mad-Eye Moody to start training Max in Dueling. After the kidnapping Max had been the victim of last night, the Potters had decided that their son needed to be able of protecting himself better. But frustratingly enough, Moody would have none of it!

"Not interested. I won't have the time for some whelp. In case you don't understand this yet, Voldemort still lives! I'm going back to the Corps as an instructor!" Moody barked out.

"But Alastor, Max ne-" James tried, but Moody didn't let him finish.

"Let your boy worry about surviving this tournament and getting his grades up first! What could I possibly teach the boy is he isn't even capable of keeping his grades up? Now stop whining or leave, I won't have any more of your begging."

Realizing that they wouldn't be able to convince Moody of the need to start tutoring Max, the Marauders left without pausing. During the entire conversation, they hadn't even bothered to inquire as to how Moody was doing after so long a time in captivity.

Only Lily remained a second longer, "Are you alright Alastor? Can I get you anything?"

"I'm fine. Tell that blasted nurse to give me my hipflask back if you want to be useful. Now if you don't mind I'd like to get some rest." Moody growled before laying down and closing his normal eye.

Sighing, Lily turned to leave as well. She paused in front of Harry's bed on her way out though.

Gazing on her sleeping, estranged son, Lily stared at him intensely for a few seconds before shivering in disgust.

"Dark scum…" She muttered before leaving the hospital wing.

Unknown to her though, her words had been picked up by both of the temporary residents currently feigning sleep.

Whilst Moody didn't care too much, except for the fact that he had his magical eye glance at Harry a few more times than normal, Harry was angered by the fact that at least one of the Potters still thought him dark, when there was no valid reason for believing that.

Deciding not to bother with the Potters, Harry tried to catch some sleep.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

_**VOLDEMORT STILL ALIVE!**_

_**FLEES FROM BATTLE AGAINST DUMBLEDORE AND POTTER!**_

_**IMPOSTOR AT HOGWARTS!**_

_**Dear readers, I write to you with shocking news. Last night, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Supreme Mugwump of the ICW and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, as well as Triwizard participant and Hogwarts Champion, Harry Potter, discovered that Barty Crouch Senior's longtime disease, was too uncharacteristic for the renowned Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation to be normal.**_

_**Dumbledore and Potter decided that waiting would be unwise and instead set off for a late night visit to Crouch Castle. What they found there is both appalling and terrifying. **_

_**There is no way for me too accurately portray the horrors that took place in Crouch Castle, which is why the following is a direct citation of Albus Dumbledore's version of the events, sworn under oath to validate their trustworthiness.**_

"_**When Harry and I arrived at Crouch Castle, we were confronted by a house elf who was quite insistent that we leave immediately and instead send a letter to Barty with whatever business we had with him."**_

"_**Seeing as time was of the essence, we were forced to stun the elf before moving on. We searched the castle until I eventually detected the magic of one I had long hoped perished."**_

_**Dear readers, I must admit that I interrupted Professor Dumbledore here because I thought the man had misspoken.**_

"_**Excuse me Professor Dumbledore, but do you not mean that you had long **__**thought**__** Him perished?"**_

_**The live citation now continues my dear readers and I promise you there will be no further interruptions of the Headmasters' riveting tale.**_

"_**No, I believe my choice of words was quite correct. Unfortunately, I never believed V- (Professor Dumbledore referred to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named by name, which is why we have censored the article and changed these passages into the following: 'V-') to be truly gone."**_

"_**I instructed Harry that he was to use whatever means necessary to guarantee our survival before blasting in the door from behind which I sensed the disturbance."**_

"_**The room was occupied by V-, a large snake, Peter Pettigrew, Barty Crouch Senior, some suits of armor, and a bearskin rug."**_

"_**Once we had opened the door, Harry engaged Pettigrew and one of the now animated suits of armor, leaving me to deal with two others, which had been equipped with magic-absorbing shields."**_

"_**We managed to dispose of these foes rather easily, although Harry was still suffering from the injury he sustained during the Second Task. V- then animated the bearskin rug and transformed it into a complete bear, which attacked me, while Harry was attacked from behind by V-'s familiar, the large snake Nagini."**_

"_**Although the bear was easily taken care of, and Harry was capable of defeating Nagini as well, we were then disturbed when we noticed the chant V- was… well, I do believe chanting would be the word."**_

"_**Then, a hundred Inferi entered via the windows and doors, where they engaged myself and Harry. These foes proved far more dangerous than anything we had face do so far, but we managed to dispose of them rather handily, allowing the bodies of the dead to rest once again."**_

"_**When finally we had taken care of the last Inferi, V- had fled along with Pettigrew and Nagini. Only Barty Crouch Senior remained, as he had been knocked out during the earlier fight."**_

"_**From Barty, we learned that his son, Barty Crouch Junior, was not dead, and had instead escaped Azkaban, going so far as to receive a mission from Voldemort which involved Hogwarts."**_

"_**Harry and I returned to Hogwarts, and as it was extremely late by that time, or rather, very early, I sent Harry off to his dormitory before bringing Barty to the Hospital Wing."**_

"_**I then used one of my methods to track down the impostor. And I was horrified to find that the impostor was at Hogwarts under the guise of Alastor Moody, our Defence Against the Dark Arts professor for the year."**_

"_**What was far worse though, was the fact that Junior was alone in his office, with Max Potter as his hostage."**_

"_**Horrified by my find, I immediately ran for the office, also sending a Patronus to Harry informing him of the situation. I realize now that I should instead have sent a Patronus to the other professors, but unfortunately, by that time I had started thinking only of those immediately involved, thus my choice to inform only Harry."**_

"_**When I arrived at the office, Harry had already managed to secure Max as well as bind Junior. The only problem was that Junior had his wand tucked under his chin, so that he might wipe his mind or kill himself, leaving us no chance of interrogating him."**_

"_**Knowing this, Harry had been stalling Junior whilst making sure that the man was focused solely on him. It was simple for me to dispose of Junior and to bring the situation under control from there."**_

"_**Junior's mission was to enter Max Potter into the Triwizard Tournament and to keep an eye on him. V- did not tell Junior why he was to do this, he only gave Junior short-term orders, whilst keeping the motivations to himself."**_

"_**All we know is that V- sent Junior a signal which meant that he had to abduct Max as soon as possible and bring him to V-. Fortunately for us, Junior felt the need to gloat and he did not carry out his mission as swiftly as he should have."**_

"_**It is at this time still unknown what V-'s plan is, but both Crouches are still being questioned by the DMLE. Max Potter was not injured, he only got a nasty scare and a few hours of lost sleep. Harry Potter aggravated the injuries he sustained during the Second Task further, and he is currently healing and resting in the hospital wing. I will not be answering further questions and have other appointments today, so if you excuse me, I will have to take my leave."**_

_**There you have it readers, everything which transpired last night. On the following pages, everything is further analyzed with information from the DMLE, as well as a statement from Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, who had been kidnapped by Barty Crouch Junior, and who did not yield until Voldemort himself managed to subdue him.**_

_**This was special correspondent Rita Skeeter reporting to you for the Daily Prophet.**_

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Dudley woke up next to a very attractive girl. Her name was Robin, and she had been rather interested in Harry Potter's cousin last night.

Remembering what he had done last night, as well as who he had done last night, Dudley grinned contentedly before grunting when he heard an incessant pecking at the window.

Looking over, Dudley was puzzled to spot a small, tawny owl at the window.

It woke Robin up though. The girl shook her head a couple of times before darting up to open the window and let the owl in. Dudley enjoyed the view as Robin pranced through the room looking for a couple of Knuts.

Once she had paid the owl, Robin sat down on the bed next to Dudley before opening the newspaper.

When she let out a shocked gasp and paled dramatically, Dudley sat up before starting to read along over her shoulder.

Once they had both finished, Dudley started scrambling for his pants as he said, "I have to go check on Harry!"

As he grabbed for his pants though, Dudley was surprised when Robin placed her hand on Dudley's before pulling it to her body.

Looking at Robin's hazel colored eyes, Dudley waited for her to speak.

"It says he's resting. You shouldn't go bother him right now. And right now, I'm rather upset and desperately need someone to comfort me, if you know what I mean…" Robin led off.

Dudley considered that for just a second, before deciding that Harry could wait, before speaking.

"Oh sweetie don't worry, give Dudley a hug. Don't worry, I'll protect you." Dudley grinned whilst spreading his arms.

With a glint in her eyes, Robin dove at him.

_God! I really need to get Harry something nice for his birthday! BEST – WINGMAN – EVER!_

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><p><strong>And with that, chapter 29 is done. Review if possible, once again I remind everybody that this story is still alive, so if you're going to favorite me or the story, then alerting it as well is usually a good decision. Enjoy the rest of your daynight and I'll see you later for chapter 30. Whenever that may finally be.**


	30. I trust you as far as I can throw you

When Harry woke up again, he felt a pair of eyes burning into him, and the itchy sheets that are impossible to find anywhere in the world but in hospitals. The Hogwarts hospital wing is the most likely owner of these specific sheets though.

Opening his eyes, Harry ignored the gaze he could feel burning into him and he stretched out languidly to allow his stiff body to relax.

Finally focusing on his surroundings again, Harry noticed the warm tray of lunch in front of him, which consisted of chicken breast, rice, a piece of pineapple and curry sauce.

With a content smile, Harry started mixing the sauce with the rice, before looking up to meet Mad-Eye Moody's gaze.

Whilst he was waiting for the man to speak, Harry languidly speared some chicken on his fork before he moved it to his mouth.

As he was about to bite down on the chicken though, something struck Harry as odd. There was something… off about Moody's gaze.

Pausing, Harry moved his fork away from his mouth again before looking at his food.

It's then that he realizes that he doesn't smell his food. He smells the typical hospital wing smell, and a there's some trace of wet dog lingering in the air as well, but there's no scent from his food.

Now knowing that there's something off, Harry takes his wand from his nightstand before casting a simple Finite at his food.

Waiting for a second, Harry is pleased as he notices the smell of food reaching him. That pleasure immediately changes to anger when he smells that there's something off about the food. There's a scent there which reminds Harry of eucalyptus, and that's no part of this dish.

Realizing that the food is drugged, probably by Moody, judging from the man's insistent staring, Harry goes for the simplest solution.

"Pomfrey! Moody drugged my food!" Harry yells out with a smug grin at the Ex-Auror.

Harry notices how, just for a second, there's a hint of pure terror in Moody's normal eye, before the grizzled man steels his look and prepares to weather Hurricane Pomfrey.

Pomfrey comes bustling into the wing, casts one spell at Harry's food, which glows purple for a second, and proceeds to try and rip Moody a new one. She does a pretty good job of it as well.

Harry didn't pay any further attention to the verbal duel going on between the two, instead calling for a House Elf and letting his food be replaced with an undrugged dish, which he then dug into with undisguised relish.

.

.

.

As Harry finished of the last morsels of food, he finally started paying full attention to Moody and Pomfrey again, who were still arguing.

Well… Arguing might not be the correct word. Pomfrey was yelling at Moody and Moody had given up on trying to explain his actions, and had resorted to grabbing his wand in an attempt to silence the furious matron.

Of course, good as he is, Mad-Eye Moody is no match for a furious Madam Pomfrey, and he ended up tied to his bed, gagged and knocked out.

Harry stopped Pomfrey as she passed by his bed on her way to her office.

"Did he give an explanation Madam?" Harry asked with a disinterested look at the matron.

"That paranoid old fool wanted to make sure that you weren't a disguised assassin! As if I wouldn't notice something like that during treatment! He's always had a few screws loose, but honestly!" Pomfrey explained, clearly still angry.

Harry nodded pensively, before infuriating the woman further with his reply, "Fair enough."

Ignoring an almost fire-breathing Pomfrey, Harry instead turned to his nightstand again, picking up the Daily Prophet before using it as both a means of information, and as a screen to hide from Pomfrey's furious glare.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Glancing at his watch, Harry noticed that it was 1.59 p.m. . And visits are allowed from 2 until 6…

Putting down the book he had been enjoying, it was about field healing, Harry mentally braced himself for the moment when those doors would bang open and people would start pouring in with incessantly loud voices and altogether too much energy.

The moment the clock indicated 2.00 p.m., the doors predictably flew open and Dudley came stomping in.

As he spotted Harry, the guy immediately moved to Harry's bedside before throwing a questioning glance at his younger cousin.

"You alright Harry?" Dudley questioned with a surprisingly soft voice.

"I'm fine Dudley, they have me on potions. I'll be out of here in a couple of days, but the matron unfortunately refuses to release me until she is certain that I'm at least healed to the point that normal use of my leg will not slow down the healing process." Harry answered casually, pleased that he apparently wouldn't be bombarded by people and noise after all.

"So, do you want to talk or something or would you rather be left alone?" A surprisingly insightful Dudley asked.

"I'm fine, go and enjoy your last hours of Hogwarts instead of hanging around in here." Harry answered with a grin, before picking up his book again.

Dudley grinned back at Harry after which he left the wing again.

.

.

.

Dudley hadn't been gone for more than a minute when Draco and Neville showed up. Neville carrying some kind of purple plant, which probably had soothing or calming effects, and Draco once again with that cane Harry had given him by his side.

As his friends sat down at either side of his bed, Harry prepared to answer a round of questions.

.

.

.

Draco and Neville finally stood up to leave, after they had satisfied their curiosity and had bantered with Harry about how he was getting addicted to being on the front page, when the next group entered.

To the surprise of all the three boys, it was the complete Fabulous Foursome.

As Draco and Neville took a step back so that they were once again positioned immediately next to Harry's shoulders, Harry himself sat up just a little bit straighter as well.

Harry coolly examined the foursome. Max stood slightly in front of his friends with a nervous smile, with Rachel and Hermione flanking him, Hermione was anxiously hopping from her left to her right leg and Rachel was continuously glancing at Harry's leg with slight worry. Weasley was positioned next to and behind Hermione, clearly unhappy about being there.

Nobody spoke for a few seconds, until Max finally broke the silence, "I wanted to come and thank you for stopping Crouch," the boy said awkwardly, looking at Harry anxiously, clearly unsure as to what reception he could expect from Harry and his friends.

"Feel free to do so, although I can honestly say that you were the catalyst that led to my actions, not the goal. As a matter in fact, it is because of you having dreadful timing and no decent defensive skills that I had to act at all. If you hadn't been you, then Dumbledore and I could have gotten a few hours of sleep and then Dumbledore could have let Flitwick or Snape assist him." Harry casually spoke, ignoring the incredulous looks he was getting from the foursome.

He could feel the amusement pouring off of Draco though. The baffled looks of the people in front of him were probably like Christmas come early for the Slytherin.

Granger leaned forwards and whispered something to Max, which seemed to be revised instructions or something like that, judging from how Max' slowly nodded once before speaking again.

"Well then I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you, and I'd also like to make it clear that I believe you are unfair in your judgment of me." Max calmly enunciated, to the pleasant surprise of both Harry and Neville, and the disappointment of Draco.

"It is rather refreshing to note that you are at least capable of surrounding yourself with more than one competent person. Now you simply have to show us a reason as to why in Merlin's name you would possibly prefer Weasley 6 over almost all other males students our age, and then I might actually consider you capable of intelligent thought." Draco snarked at Max, leading to two blushing girls, a stunned Max and a rapidly angering Weasley.

On the other hand, Neville groaned loudly whilst starting to dig around in his pocket and Harry let a smug grin show for a second.

"You just had to get a dig in, didn't you?" Neville muttered moodily while placing 5 Sickles on Harry's nightstand.

Draco now turned fully to Neville, completely forgetting about their guests, "It's not my fault that you are actually so stupid that you bet on that. There is simply no way I wasn't going to do that, I really don't understand why you agreed to that bet knowing that you were betting against Harry!"

Neville looked bashful, Harry had picked up his wand and was lazily using it to blow rings of blue smoke, and Draco was now examining Neville as if he were an extremely interesting exhibit of some kind.

It was at that point, that Ron finally started yelling.

"YOU ARROGANT SODS! HOW ABOUT YOU SHUT THE BLOODY HELL UP BEFORE I DESTROY _YOUR_ ABILITY OF INTELLIGENT THOUGHT!? YOU DON'T SCARE ME AND I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU YOUR PLACES!"

Harry winced the moment Ron started shouting, and Draco and Neville only took half a second longer. Ron didn't notice as he was screaming and frothing at the mouth, clearly considering going for his wand, but his three companions all did. And they were puzzled by it. That is, until Ron finally shut his mouth and Neville sincerely said, "Our condolences."

The next Ronald Weasley knew, he had an extremely painful right ear and he was rapidly being dragged towards the hospital wing door.

By the time Ron realized what was happening, Pomfrey had dragged him out of the hospital wing and had closed the door behind him, but not before whisper-shouting: "And don't you dare come back in here! I'll be informing Professor McGonnagal about this!"

For a few seconds, there was a shocked silence.

Then, as Pomfrey turned her furious gaze on the remaining 5 guests, Neville managed to squeak out, "Catch you later, Harry." Before fleeing the wing in a desperate attempt to get away from Dragon Pomfrey.

That made the dam break as the next second, all the others were doing their best to get out as well.

And most of them succeeded. Harry had wasn't done with all of them yet though.

"Owens, a word?"

Rachel froze in the door opening. Draco rocketed past her and then only she and Harry were left. Well, and Pomfrey as well. But before the Matron could unleash her fury, Harry spoke again.

"Madam please, I need to speak with Rachel for a minute. It's important." Harry spoke in a tone that came remarkably close to calming and soothing.

Pomfrey glared at Rachel for a second longer, and then she finally returned to her office.

Rachel slowly walked back to Harry's bed, and Harry didn't bother waiting for her to actually say something.

"I don't know how long I will be staying here, but seeing as I will probably miss at least one meeting, you are going to have to practice on your own. Don't do anything large or new, focus on things you have under control. Don't burn anything down. Also, keep your boys away from Draco. With me out of commission, there's only Neville to stop him from provoking people and that never ends well." Harry spoke calmly, before waiting calmly for Rachel to answer.

"My boys? MY BOYS? Who do you think I am? Their mother? They can decide for themselves what they will and won't do and if Malfoy provokes them then that's not their fault! Perhaps you should consider keeping YOUR boy on a shorter leash!" Rachel retorted sharply.

Harry was surprised by the retort at what he had meant as a semi-friendly suggestion, but he was rather amused that Rachel turned his statement around on him.

"Don't say that I didn't warn you. Now, if you could please be so kind as to give me that bottle in the shape of a tibia, then you can leave." Harry spoke, whilst pointing at the bottle he needed.

Rachel didn't even bother answering to that, she simply took the bottle and handed it to Harry.

Harry opened the bottle and was about to start drinking, when he noticed Rachel was still standing at his bedside.

"Anything I can help you with Owens?" Harry questioned with a lifted eyebrow.

"Are you alright?" Rachel asked hesitantly, softly biting on her lower lip whilst worriedly looking at where Harry's leg was covered by his sheets.

'_Cute…' _

"Oh I will be in a minute." Harry answered before he started chugging down the entire bottle as fast as he could.

Rachel stared incredulously as Harry drained the entire bottle in thirty seconds.

"That must have been half a gallon! Why did you drink all that so fast? That isn't healthy!"

Harry put down the now empty bottle before looking at Rachel tranquilly.

"Oh, but this is for my health. I drank it so fast because it tastes absolutely horrendous, and I am now going to silence myself to make sure that I don't alert Madam Pomfrey.

Having said that, Harry grabbed the plant Neville had brought along earlier, from which he ripped of the pink leaves Neville had mentioned, before hastily eating them as well. Then Harry aimed his wand at himself before muttering a quick "Silencio."

That having been done, Harry closed his eyes and he relaxed his body whilst laying down flat again.

And then, the pain began.

Harry tried to scream out in pure agony, but his silencing charm made that impossible, as he had planned.

Rachel looked on with unadulterated fear in her eyes as Harry spasmed and screamed in his bed.

For three minutes, which might as well have been for an eternity, Harry was in pure agony, maybe not on the level of a Cruciatus curse, but far above anything he had ever felt before.

And then, finally, the pain disappeared. In the blink of an eye, the pain was completely gone. Only the memory of the sharp, burning pain in his leg remained.

Harry opened his eyes and dispelled his Silencio, before transfiguring his hospital gown into a standard school uniform, before throwing off his sheets and standing up.

"Well, I will still need some rest so we won't be training this week. Do as I said and I'll contact you with our next meeting time. Cheerio!" Harry spoke whilst adding the Cheerio in a stereotypical British accent before moving for the hospital wing doors.

He had hoped that he would have stunned Rachel enough as to score a clean getaway, but that plan was foiled when Rachel caught up to him.

"What just happened?" The girl questioned in a serious voice, not allowing Harry to make his escape without having her question answered.

Sighing tiredly, Harry answered in a dry voice, "I just drank the entire potion dose Pomfrey planned to give me over the next week. That resulted in incredible pain and it drained all of my energy. The pain would have lasted longer, but I ate those leaves because they improve a person's healing, so my body healed faster which meant the potion was more efficient and that led to a shorter period of pain. I am now escaping the hospital wing and moving for the kitchens where I shall eat before going to my dormitory where I shall sleep for approximately 36 hours."

Spotting Rachel's confused glance and knowing what she was about to ask, Harry continued.

" Once that is done, I'll be healed and then I simply want to busy myself with things I _want_ to do for a couple of days, hence not training you for a week and not going to most of my classes."

Rachel noticed the emphasis on the 'want', and was clearly offended, judging from her response.

"In that case I'll leave you to your business your Lordship, and I'm so terribly sorry for being such a nuisance!"

That having said, Rachel marched off and Harry paused to watch her leave. He was waiting for her to throw a glance over her shoulder. He was NOT admiring her behind. He was not. Really not. Maybe a little bit.

Deciding not to bother with this confusing development, Harry turned around and continued moving for the kitchens. Had he waited for just a second longer, he would have spotted Rachel looking back at him with what could only be confusion.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Having done as he had told Rachel, Harry was now finally venturing into the public again, three days after the whole Crouch-conspiracy, as people were now calling it.

And the first thing he had to do, was talking with Dumbledore. Harry had a question he needed answered.

So here he was. Ascending the stairs to Dumbledore's office. His leg had healed perfectly, and Harry's body and magic had been rested as well.

Because of this, it was with a rather good mood that Harry walked into Dumbledore's office.

"Ah Harry, what a pleasant surprise! I was under the impression that you would still be hiding from Poppy in your dormitory!" Dumbledore happily exclaimed while holding out a tin with lemon drops.

"No thanks, I'll have some tea though, if you're offering. And I was not hiding! I made a tactical retreat in order to heal in the most time efficient way." Harry spoke in a mock offended tone.

"Of course, of course. My apologies. Pippy! A cup of Harry's usual tea please. Now then Harry, to what do I owe this visit?" Dumbledore spoke, whilst smiling genially.

"I would like to know what method you used to discover that Junior was holding Max captive and how you knew that he was polyjuiced to look like Moody. Because I find it rather convenient that you didn't have any suspicions whatsoever, then we go to Crouch Castle and suddenly you have a way of discovering where Junior is and what he looks like." Harry calmly spoke whilst holding Dumbledore's gaze captive with his own.

Dumbledore let out a deep sigh before slowly leaning back in his chair.

"I usually find it refreshing to speak with you, Harry. As it stands however, I can't help but feel that you are accusing me of something. Why is that, Harry? I thought there was more trust between us." Dumbledore spoke with clear disappointment.

Harry tensed, "My question first Dumbledore," He briskly stated. Dumbledore could see the slightest amount of water start to gather at Harry's fingertips. The use of his last name hadn't gone unnoticed either.

Letting his pained gaze rest on Harry for a second, Dumbledore eventually spoke.

"Very well Harry. I do insist that if my answer proves satisfying, you will share the reason for this distrust with me," Dumbledore paused, looking at Harry patiently.

Once Harry nodded, Dumbledore continued, "Excellent. Now then, I used the Marauders' Map. Have you ever heard of the Marauders, Harry?"

Harry thought for a second, before pensively answering, "I believe Fred and George might have mentioned them in passing."

Dumbledore chuckled merrily at that.

"Ah, I had forgotten about your acquaintance with the Messrs. Weasley! Truly two amazing young men are they not? Yes yes, quite understandable that they have mentioned them. After all, the Marauders are their greatest role models!"

Harry didn't show any outer response except for a raised eyebrow.

"Let me explain then, the Marauders were a group of four Hogwarts students who had the well deserved reputation of greatest pranksters to ever attend Hogwarts. They pulled of some incredible pieces of magic, which includes somehow managing to lock Professor McGonnagal in her Animagus form for an entire week. They still refuse to share how they managed that particular masterpiece." Dumbledore explained with twinkling eyes. Clearly, these students had been favorites of him when they still attended Hogwarts.

"Their most incredible piece of magic however, was the Marauders' Map. This map, whilst looking like an innocent piece of old parchment at first sight, is actually a carefully enchanted and protected map which shows Hogwarts along with all its inhabitants at any time. This includes secret passages and parts of the grounds. The remarkable thing however, is that this map is not only self-updating, it also gives you the exact position of anybody in Hogwarts at any given time."

Dumbledore paused at that, and with good reason, as Harry had come rather close to spitting out his tea at that.

"Incredible! How did they manage that and where is this map now?" Harry asked, now eager to examine this unique piece of magic for himself.

Dumbledore let out a pained sigh and continued his story, "Unfortunately, one of the Marauders had a rather… explosive, love interest. Mere days after the first map was completed, he had managed to infuriate her yet again, and when she fired an Incendio at him, he managed to evade her attack, resulting in the unfortunate destruction of more than half the notes the Marauders had taken on the process. To say that the Marauder who was planning on using those notes for Masteries in Arithmancy and Ancient Runes was displeased, would be a grave understatement. I think he still blames the poor woman for that, even if he has publically forgiven her."

Dumbledore wistfully looked out the window for a second before once more picking up the story, "The Marauders have since tried quite a few times to create another Map, but they have been unsuccessful time and time again. It appears that they underestimated the contributions of their fourth member to the process, he has since turned from the Light and it is clear that the other three fail at the critical part, the tracking of the people in the castle. My personal theory would be that the fourth Marauder used a ritual on the Map while it was still being created, without informing his friends. Which is unfortunate, but expected, as this man may not be great with a wand, but he had a talent with rituals I have rarely seen." Dumbledore finished with a melancholy note to his tone.

As Harry remained silent, Dumbledore realized that Harry wanted to see the map.

"I can unfortunately not present you with the map at this time, as I do not have it in my possession. It is in the hands of one of the descendants of the Marauders, and I merely borrowed it without his knowledge for our situation." Dumbledore explained apologetically.

"Fine, I'm willing to believe you, despite the fact that you haven't given me any evidence or names whatsoever. Who has the map now? Perhaps I can make a deal with this person." Harry spoke pensively, rapidly going over possible map-owners and discarding them just as fast.

Legendary pranksters would not be Slytherins, simply because they would see pranking as a waste of their obvious talent. Hufflepuffs were too nice to pull stuff like locking McGonnagal as a cat for an entire week. Which left Ravenclaws and Gryffindors.

Dumbledore was obviously fond of them, and they had children of schoolgoing age, whilst they themselves had had Dumbledore, and not his predecessor as a Headmaster.

One of the four had gone Dark, and judging from the way Dumbledore spoke, he still had contact with the remaining three.

So, with a decent possibility in mind, Harry tensed before gazing at Dumbledore. As he was about to ask, Dumbledore spoke, "Harry, I cannot answer any of those questions, nor can I answer the question you are about to ask."

At Dumbledore's look, Harry immediately realized that his suspicion was correct.

Harry deflated and could hardly hide his spite when he spoke, "Really ? _He _has it? What a waste. Moron probably doesn't even realize exactly how valuable that is! But fine, he can have it. It's not as if I've ever needed anything from them anyways."

Dumbledore winced at the poison in Harry's voice. The Potters really had messed up with Harry.

"Harry? I have told you what you wanted. I believe it is your turn to explain." Dumbledore softly prodded, careful not to anger the youth too much.

"Is it not obvious? Do I have reason to trust people? Trusting Flitwick ended with me bound and gagged in a chair of all things! Hell, I was abandoned and left on a doorstep before I even gained any conscious memories! No, that's not true, that IS my first conscious memory! I used to see the bastard laying me there in my dreams! Why the fuck would I possibly have trust issues!? It's not as if I was beaten until I managed to become the man with the bigger club now is it?! Fuck Albus, it's a wonder I haven't started killing people yet! I may not condone Voldemort's actions, but I'll be damned if I don't understand where the man is coming from!" Harry furiously yelled.

Where there had been some water on his fingertips earlier, there was now a miniature snowstorm raging around Harry's feet as the young elemental had jumped to his feet.

"I'll be leaving Hogwarts for a couple of days. Don't bother to send anybody to look for me, I'll be back when it bloody well pleases me!" Harry spoke, before mentally calling for Hedwig and storming out of Dumbledore's office.

In the now empty office, Dumbledore let out a pained sigh.

"That could have gone better…"


	31. Destination: Vacation and also Go Green!

**Is it short? Yes. Do I care? Not particularly. Do I thank you all for the reviews, alerts and favorites? Yes, thank you for those, very motivating. Am I done using questions as a means of amusing myself? Almost. **

**DISCLAIMER: Do I own Harry Potter? I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER**

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><p>The moment he had left Dumbledore's office, Harry had marched to his dormitory, where he'd packed and shrunk his trunk with a few angry waves of his wand. A House Elf had delivered some dried and salted meat, and his element ensured that he could always provide his own water.<p>

Following that, he'd cast a Notice-Me-Not Charm on himself before jumping out of the window towards the ground.

Hedwig had been ready, and she'd carried all the way to the sea.

Once above deep water, Harry had let himself towards the ice-cold seawater.

Then, he'd cast a permanent Point Me spell, letting it anchor on the north, and then Harry had started swimming. Following his arrow all the way to the North Pole.

He would have preferred Antarctica, because well, penguins are awesome, but that was a bit too far away to swim there in a decent time. So now, Harry was racing to the North Pole, with a singing Hedwig above him, occasionally diving down to catch a fish.

.

.

.

After a while, Harry noticed the first pieces of floating ice. The arrow above his head started reacting more sensitively as well. If he swam a mile to the east, there was a marked effect on the arrow, whereas if he'd done the same in Scotland, the difference wouldn't have been noticeable.

So, Harry swam on. Until eventually he reached a point where it became easier to skate on, instead of swimming. Thus, Harry launched himself out of the frigid waters, landing on the large land of ice in front of him.

Harry transfigured his shoes to ice skates, and then he was off again, skating rapidly for the North Pole.

It was dark around him, as Harry had reached the land which didn't see any sun during this time of year, but that didn't matter as Harry and Hedwig were the only creatures around anyways.

Any animals that lived here, were sleeping or hiding from these strange intruders.

Eventually, Harry decided he wanted rest. Thus, he created an igloo with a flick of his wands and the curling of a few fingers.

Entering his temporary home, Harry created a bed out of ice. Although that wouldn't be comfortable for any normal person, his powers ensured that the bed would mold to Harry's body when he laid down to sleep.

Another wave, and he'd created a bookshelf. Then Harry pulled out his wand and he undid the shrinking charm on his trunk before rapidly unpacking.

He then immediately grabbed a few strips of meat before wolfing them down.

When that had all been done, Harry decided to change. He pulled out knee length short, and undressed completely until all he was wearing were a pair of boxers.

Putting on the short, Harry allowed the frigid air to soothe him as he settled down on the bed to rest. He'd do some studying and meditating tomorrow, and then he'd see about eventually returning to Hogwarts.

After all the stuff going on there, he deserved a vacation, even if this wasn't the destination most people thought of when they had to consider a relaxing vacation, for Harry, it was perfect.

~~~~Scene Change~~~~

At Hogwarts, things had continued on as per usual. The only people who were immediately aware that Harry was missing, were Dumbledore, Draco and Neville.

Harry had used the privilege of being a Champion to stay out of classes before, so the teachers didn't find it special when Harry didn't show up, and everybody knew that Harry was rather reclusive, so not spotting him during dinner or not encountering him in the hallways, that was normal.

But slowly, partway through the second day of Harry's absence, the rumors started.

The main theory was that Harry couldn't handle the stress any longer and he'd fled. There were people who were convinced that Harry was fighting Voldemort on another top secret mission. And for every supporter of that theory, there was one who was convinced that Harry had _joined _Voldemort. The most known member of that particular group was none other than Ronald Weasley.

Those and many other theories were floating around, but through it all, none actually asked Dumbledore for his opinion or if he knew anything. And that was for the best, because Albus had been rather unhappy ever since his talk with Harry.

He now realized exactly how much the world had failed the younger Potter, and he was pondering and considering multiple actions and choices he could take and make. It was clear to Albus, that he needed to show Harry that he could trust somebody. If that somebody had to be Albus, that was fine, because Albus had grown very fond of the prodigious Ravenclaw.

Still, Albus was in a rather unhappy mood because of what Harry had told him considering his problems with trusting people, and his sadness came with waves.

It was particularly strong on the ninth evening after Harry had left.

Unknown to everyone, Harry was having a very relaxing stay at the North Pole, and he had already decided that he could confide in Dumbledore at least. He was currently enjoying the possibilities that a land of ice offered to one with Harry's gift.

He was enjoying it so much, that multiple Muggle scientists were excitedly reporting about the growth of the polar caps already.

But that wasn't known by Dumbledore, and the conversation he had had that afternoon hadn't improved his mood at all.

Draco Malfoy and Neville Longbottom had finally dared to approach Albus, as they had finally grown anxious over Harry's long absence.

The fact that even these two boys, Harry's closest friends, hadn't been trusted with Harry's plans, that even they hadn't been contacted by Harry since his departure, had hurt Dumbledore a lot. It was even more proof of exactly how little trust Harry had in other people.

The boys had eventually left with unhappy expressions on their faces and slouching shoulders.

So now, Dumbledore was seriously considering sending Harry a note with Fawkes. Even though it was likely that Harry would see that as Albus not trusting him enough to do anything without being checked on.

Eventually, just as Albus had decided that he really had to know what Harry was doing, and just as he reached for his quill, he could feel the ward that tied him to his gargoyle get triggered.

Settling back in his chair, and putting away his quill, Albus put on a benign smile before waiting for the probable knock on his door.

When that knock came, Dumbledore called out, "Come in, Igor."

And just as Dumbledore had known, Karkaroff came marching into his office, his champion trailing him.

To Albus' surprise however, these two weren't alone. Accompanying them were Madame Maxime and her champion, as well as Max Potter and both the Potter parents.

None of his guests noticed his surprise though, and Dumbledore kept his benign smile plastered on his face. Even if he had a dubious feeling about this visit.

"Oh dear, I do believe I do not have enough chairs to accompany all of you. To what do I owe the honor of this visit?" Dumbledore twinkled with a friendly voice, while reaching for his tin with lemon drops.

Before anybody could speak up, Dumbledore continued, "Would anybody care for a lemon drop?"

When everybody stayed silent, and their faces remained stoic as well, Dumbledore decided that he wouldn't be able to break the ice like that. Popping a lemon drop into his mouth, Albus was amused when a cup of lemon tea automatically appeared on his desk.

Twinky must have assumed that Dumbledore was once again being visited by Harry, and so, when Dumbledore had offered a lemon drop as per usual, the elves had assumed that Harry would request some tea, as per usual.

Hiding his wistful thoughts of those far more pleasant visits, Albus spoke, "Well then if not for my lemon drops, how might I help you? I assume this visit is Tournament related?"

Everybody remained silent for a second, until Karkaroff decided to claim the role of spokesperson.

"Where is Potter, Dumbledore?" The former Death Eater inquired in an oily tone, that gave Dumbledore shivers.

"I hope that your question is answered by looking to your left, Igor. If not, then I fear that I will not be able to help you with that particular question." Dumbledore answered with a benign smile and a subtle glance at the three Potters currently in his office.

"I fear, Albus," Karkaroff started, "That I will have to insist on more specific information." The Durmstrang Headmaster spoke with an attempt at an intimidating look.

Although Karkaroff's attempt at intimidation was rather laughable, after all, he was using it on Albus Dumbledore of all people, it was clear that he had the support of all the other visitors in his demand.

"Although I can safely say that fear is unnecessary in this situation," Dumbledore twinkled, " I do have to disappoint Igor. All I can tell you about Harry's whereabouts would be the following: "Not at Hogwarts, probably not in the country, most definitely unknown to me, probably cold. If you want even more specific information, then I suggest trying to contact Harry. You could try finding him as well I suppose, although I will suggest not doing so, as Harry probably will not take kindly to that."

Karkaroff frowned, Fleur harrumphed, Viktor sulked as per usual, Maxime wore an expression which might have been the love baby of revulsion and superiority and the Potters looked curious.

Eventually, it was Max who spoke up.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, why would Harry not be kindly if we try to find him?"

"My dear boy, before I explain, as an educator it is my duty to tell you that it is to _take_ kindly, not to _be _kindly. Now, as for your actual question. Harry was rather upset when he left Hogwarts, and he informed me that he wished to be left alone until he decided to return of his own volition. Now, unless there is anything else I can help you with, I have had a somewhat exhausting day, and I am not as young as I once was." Dumbledore answered with a gentle smile.

Whilst most people seemed willing to drop it at that, Karkaroff was not so easily distracted.

"Albus, we are curious about Mr. Potter's whereabouts, because after his performance in the first and second task, we believe that he might be getting… unfair advantages. And seeing as he is your school's Champion, I would like it if you were to explain why a fourteen year old is not only performing at an incredible level, he is also the one you take with you on excursions in the middle of the night, and that same student is allowed to leave your school for an extended period of time without any form of punishment! Frankly, Dumbledore, we believe you are helping the boy to train for the Tournament!" Karkaroff slowly worked himself into a tirade, eventually yelling at the end of his statement.

Dumbledore merely smiled benignly, even as he grew displeased internally, there was no reason to show that displeasure just yet.

"I think, Igor, that if you carefully review the oath we as Heads, are supposed to swear, you will find that it is impossible for me to assist Harry on such a level without suffering terrible pain at the very least." Dumbledore spoke, whilst steepling his fingers and throwing a piercing gaze at Karkaroff.

When the vile little man tried to react, clearly not dropping the issue, Dumbledore continued, his eyes losing their twinkle and suddenly turning flinty.

"Also, Igor, I believe you need to reconsider what you said about the First Task. After all, were not the three Champions currently in my office involved in a rather large scandal whilst Harry was the main victim of those dishonorable deeds?"

Karkaroff flinched at that, and he didn't try to speak up again when he noticed the iron gaze of Dumbledore now firmly pinned on him.

As Karkaroff stood up to leave, recognizing a lost battle when he saw one, Dumbledore spoke up, "You may want to remember that it was never investigated precisely who gave that particular information to the Champions. If you decide to continue this slandering of Harry's name, I believe that I will have to get involved in investigating the cheating prior to the First Task. Now, have a nice evening Igor, Madame Maxime, James, Lily, Mr. Krum, Miss Delacour, Max."

At those words, all those present in the office that were not feathered, not painted, not made of cloth and not in possession of an epic beard, flinched.

When the last of his guests had left his office, and Dumbledore could feel the gargoyle once again barring the entrance to the staircase, Dumbledore sighed.

_Please come back soon Harry. Karkaroff may be a fool, but he has given me a rather grand idea that would be perfect for solving the current situation._

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

It was the 10th day of Harry's stay at the North Pole, and his vacation had been well spent. He had decided that Dumbledore was worthy of his trust, and so were Draco and Neville. Just because Harry had been unfortunate enough to be born to the Potters, and to be mistreated by the Dursleys when he was still a young child, that did not mean that everybody would abuse his trust so.

That revelation had come to him on the third day of his stay.

Another great revelation that had come to him, was that he did indeed feel a physical attraction to Rachel. That particular fact had become clear during the fifth night of Harry's stay on the North Pole, as evidenced by the state of his boxers after a vivid dream he had had that night.

Finally, Harry had discovered a method that enabled him to fly without any assistance. The disadvantage was that it was incredibly draining, and it was not inconspicuous at all.

A variation on the method he had used to get to Junior when the man had held Max hostage, Harry simply had to create a road of ice over which he could then glide by using his powers. He could attain rather high speeds, and once he had passed a certain distance, all Harry had to do was vanish it through use of his ability.

It was so draining because not only did Harry have to conjure ice, he also had to make it levitate in the air and he then had to vanish it instead of leaving it to melt on its own.

Nevertheless, it was far faster than land based transportation, and it was not dependent on assisting tools such as a broomstick or a carpet. It would do until Harry got an Apparition license, and it would probably remain his method of transportation for when under wards.

Still, Hedwig was even faster and far less draining than this airsledding as Harry had decided to call it, and so she would remain his mode of transport when available and necessary.

For now though, Harry decided that the time had come to return to Hogwarts. He would have to talk to Albus again, and letting Rachel along for this long without supervision didn't sit well with him either. He preferred it if Hogwarts wasn't burned down, and Rachel wasn't injured when Dumbledore had to resort to more powerful extinguishing spells. If Harry didn't train the girl, one of those two options was bound to end up as reality eventually.

So, having packed all his stuff, Harry threw a wistful glance at his igloo before creating a huge glacier where it stood, after which Harry started his journey back to Hogwarts.

_Man I'm going to miss this place._ _Note to self, examine possibility of attaining or creating a cyrochamber._

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

**NY Times: Polar caps growing, enviromental laws working, President promises more steps will be taken!**

**Telegraph: PM claims more efforts will be taken to improve enviromental stability after stunning discovery on North Pole!**

**De Standaard: EU wil verdere stappen ondernemen in milieuwetgeving na successen Noordpool.**

**Le Soir: Succès dans la Nord. Ministre du Milieu promis plus des activités.**

**Dagens Nyheter: Upptäckt vid Nordpolen, nya miljölagar effecktiva: Stadsministern tror p****å ytterligare framgångar!**

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><p><strong>It's very short, but that's okay, because I know, this story will be longer one day.<strong>

**So, leave a review please and I'm sorry that it's short, but this was the correct point to cut off the chapter.**

**Also, taking this chance to adress a real issue: The environment, the polar caps, those are real issues happening right now. And unlike in stories, we don't have any magical solutions. So please, try to support the environment. All small bits help. That goes from completely turning off your computer instead of putting it in sleeping mode, all the way to eating less meat, and more vegetables and fish. Cows actually produce more methane and other greenhouse gasses than cars. So please, for both your own good, and that of the following generations, make a change.**

**Damn. I reallly sound sappy don't I? Still, the point is valid. **

**I want to thank Find Pie for the Swedish newspaper and headline, any others who want their language and newspaper placed, just PM me with a headline and the name of the paper. In the correct language of course, and a translation please. **

**Anyways, thanks for reading and see you later!**


	32. Who said words hurt more than deeds?

**Hi, chapter 32 is up. Great, right? So this chapter is longer again and it features quite a lot of stuff in a very short span of time. I am still looking for a decent beta, so if you're interested, please send me a PM. Looking for one myself is just not a priority. **

**I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank all my lovely readers for their following, favoriting and of course most importantly reviewing. Keep that up please because I find that to be very pleasing.**

**That's all I have or now, enjoy the read! **

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><p>"Are you sure about this Draco? Knowing Harry, he won't appreciate it if we send him an owl when he clearly didn't want us to know where he'd be." Neville cautiously asked a clearly agitated Draco.<p>

Draco didn't even break stride to answer Neville, instead opting to snap, "I don't care, now shut up and follow me!"

Neville wasn't going to stand for that though, he immediately stopped walking and he grabbed a hold of Draco's arm to stop the blonde Slytherin as well.

"I've had enough of your attitude Malfoy! Now you are going to calm down and you are going to tell me why you are so insistent on sending a letter to Harry. There is clearly more tot his than simply curiosity and concern for our friend!" Neville spoke commandingly.

At that, Draco had one of those moments where all you can think is: What happened to that shy pudgy kid I used to know?

Because right now, Neville Longbottom was intimidating, and for a few seconds at least, Draco was cowed.

Then though, the angry Slytherin regained his steam and he furiously explained in a venomous voice, "You know what Longbottom? Fine! I want tos end this letter so badly because Harry is the only reason why I'm not dead yet, and with him gone, that might change rather shortly!"

At Neville's dumbfounded look, Draco continued, "Not what you expected Longbottom? What? Did you think the whole being a Houseless one would go unpunished for long in Slytherin? My life's been in danger ever since my Father banished me from the Malfoy House! He actually asked our Allied Houses to help him show me the error of my ways!"

"Only the cane Harry sent me prevented 'Beat-Up-Draco' from becoming a nightly game for all Slytherins! It looks impressive and the delivery managed to scare off potential enemies. It provides wards when I go to sleep at night, Flint lost all hearing in his left ear when he tried to test them, and nobody else dared try after that. But that was over a year ago and in the end that cane is no more than a carefully warded and enchanted piece of wood!"

"The whole scam over Christmas, where I claimed to have seen the error of my ways, that had Lucius retract the request to our Allies, and for two weeks, everything was fine and dandy. Then Lucius found one of YOUR letters to me, and he realized I'd been lying! I escaped the Manor by the skin of my teeth! I literally had to dive into the Floo even as pulled his wand in an attempt to stop me!"

"Now, Lucius has officially declared me Blood-Traitor, and he has put out a call through all of High Society that whoever kills me gains eternal gratitude and the alliance of the House of Malfoy! With Harry gone, I'm living on borrowed time down there! Zabini came up to me this morning, asked me how much my life was worth to me, he'd gotten a letter from his mum, she wants to be the next Lady Malfoy, and she had asked him to take care of me!"

"Harry is my only chance at surviving until summer! Nobody at Hogwarts would dare call down the wrath of the Hogwarts Champion on themselves. With him gone, people have been growing more bold every day. I need Harry to get back here, my life depends on it! So go back to your ideal little Gryffindor world and let me go and send the letter that my life may well depend upon!"

Draco had slowly turned red in the face during his rant, his head now resembling a firetruck. Under normal circumstances, Harry would have asked Draco if he was hot, and Neville would have joked that he now finally had some proof that Draco was actually a human, instead of merely being a vivid Inferi.

Unfortunately these were not normal circumstances.

Draco slowly regained both his breath, and the famous Malfoy complexion, and Neville managed to return his face to it's normal, friendly expression.

"Alright, that explains the erratic behavior and the insistence to visit the Owlery. Why not tell me though? I could declare you a friend of House Longbottom, or go to Dumbledore even. And make no mistake, I'm talking to you, and I'm going to accompany you to the Owlery, but you are _not _forgiven for that little temper tantrum, Draco. I understand you're under a lot of stress, but that is no way to talk to your friend. Now let's get moving." Neville spoke calmly, not looking at Draco directly, instead looking at the end of the hallway they were in.

For a few seconds, both boys were silent. Then they started moving in silence.

Eventually, the boys reached the cold and filthy Owlery, where Draco picked called down a large school owl, offering it a strip of ham he had taken with him from the Great Hall.

As Draco started to tie the letter to the owl's leg, Neville patiently waited for the blonde to send the owl off.

It was then that the boys got some unwelcome company in the forms of the Fabulous Foursome of Gryffindor.

Draco was still focused on tying his letter to the owl he'd chosen, and Neville hoped that his fellow Gryffindors would simply ignore Draco and him, as Draco clearly wasn't aware of their presence.

For a second, that seemed as if it might actually happen, because Hermione and Rachel started moving for the school owls like the one Draco was using currently. Max seemed willing to follow his friends' lead, but that was of course the moment, when Ronald Weasley had to get a dig in.

"What are you doing here Malfoy?" Ron started in a mocking tone, "Who could you possibly have to send a letter to? After all, your dad wants you dead and all your Slytherin friends only care for you if you have your daddy to back you up. All you've got left is Neville over here and even he doesn't seem all that willing to defend you right now!"

Draco tensed, but he simply continued tying his letter to the owl that was waiting for him to finish.

Noting Draco's lack of response, and seeing that as a perceived weakness, Ron continued, ignoring the stern look Neville was giving him and the mumbled and half-hearted protests of his friends.

"Maybe you're sending a letter to daddy Lucius to please give you a few Sickles so you can go into Hogsmeade for a Butterbeer or so you can buy a new scarf against the cold? To think, I'm actually richer than you Malfoy! You are nothing without your family fortune! Hell, daddy dearest put a bounty on your head! I could walk up to you right now and stab a knife through your throat, and your dad would thank me for doing it! How does it feel, Malfoy? How does it feel to be dirt?" Ron sneered.

Draco had finished tying his letter to the owl, and he was now carrying the bird to the window, where it could jump off of his arm to go find Harry. Although he desperately wanted to pull his wand on Ron, he was managing to keep his temper under control. Barely.

By this time, his friends had actually started protesting Weasley's words, with Max hesitantly telling Ron to stop, Rachel angrily telling Ron that he was going too far, and Hermione Granger who currently resembled an angry cat, judging from the noise she was producing.

"Ronald Weasley! That's enough! I can understand that you don't like Malfoy, and you have fair reason to pay back Malfoy for how he's treated you and your family in the past, but enough is enough! You will keep quiet while Rachel and I post our letters and you are going to think about why you can't just say things like that!"

Ron wasn't done yet though, he was avenging countless old insults by both Draco and Lucius. He'd had wealth, he'd had their father-son relationship, he'd had Draco's sudden lack of new or nice stuff, he'd had Draco's new status within the Wizarding World, so basically all that was left was avenging the countless insults that had been made which targeted his mother.

"Maybe you're sending that letter to your mummy? Asking her if she has any plans for when Lucius gets his second marriage! Mummy dearest won't be getting back to the Black Family Drakey-wakey, she'll be just as poor as you! Maybe you can even grovel in the dirt for some Knuts together this summer!" Ron finally finished his tirade.

Ron wasn't aware that he'd officially gone one bridge too far though. Hermione was restarting her berating, and Max had now finally gained enough courage to angrily demand Ron stop it. The only one aware of the mistake Ron had made, was Rachel.

She'd spent enough time with Harry to have heard a thing or two about Draco and Neville from her elemental tutor. One of the things Harry had mentioned once, was that Draco had a tic when he got very angry. His left hand would twitch a few times, and his right shoulder would shake for a second.

Both of those were currently taking place. Another thing she'd learned from Harry, was that Neville Longbottom always did his best to keep the peace by positioning himself so that he was between his friends and those they were fighting with, when possible.

Even as Rachel watched, Neville took an obvious step to the side. Thus allowing Draco, who had by now sent his letter off and who had been standing with his back turned to the others, a clear line of fire at Ron.

The moment Draco lost his self-control was the moment his left hand suddenly went deadly still, and his right shoulder stopped shaking.

Draco pulled his wand and furiously spun so that he was watching Ron, bellowing out a rage-filled Flipendo even as he started marching for the group of Gryffindors.

Ron was blasted off his feet and thrown into a wall, after which he crumpled to the floor.

As Ron slowly tried to regain his bearings, Hermione, Max and Rachel pulled their wands as one.

They were also easily disarmed by a still livid Draco, who didn't even bother to stop moving for Ron as he fired off three rapid Expelliarmusses.

The Gryffindors weren't aware of this of course, but Draco had been practicing his duelling intensely ever since he and his friends came up with their plan to dispose of Lucius.

Hence, they were fiercely outmatched and now wandless to boot.

As Draco moved to Ron, the three Gryffindors looked expectantly at Neville, who was still in possession of his wand, and who was holding it loosely by his side.

Neville ignored them though, and instead paid attention to the confrontation taking place in front of him. Draco's rage was perfectly justified, as were Ron's insults, to a certain extent at least, but Neville was not going to let Draco put Ron into an early grave. The hospital wing yes, but no more than that.

Draco advanced on Ron, even as the latter slowly regained his footing and managed to take out his wand as well.

"You will not speak of my mother ever again Weasley." Draco spoke in a deathly calm voice, before firing off a bludgeoner, a stunner, and two bone-breaking curses.

As Ron desperately defended himself, two things immediately became clear to Neville.

1. Draco was toying with Ron like a cat plays with a mouse, because those spells were both slow and exaggeratedly pronounced.

2. Draco had just fired two bonebreakers at Ron's head. And a broken skull is quite a few things, one of those things being potentially lethal.

Neville tried to calm down his enraged friend by softly speaking, "Draco that's enough."

Draco didn't react to that though, instead having opted to continue firing a chain of cutting curses at Ron, who was clearly incapable of keeping up, and who was already bleeding from multiple wounds to both of his legs as well as a nasty gash on the right side of his torso.

Max went and Hermione anxiously started looking for their wands, which was no easy task in the dark Owlery, and Rachel was clearly having some kind of internal discussion as well. Neville had no way of knowing that the girl was seriously considering using her element to defend her friend from a still slowly advancing Draco.

Neville knew he was no match for Draco in a duel, and odds were that if he did try to disarm Draco, that would only enrage the blonde even further.

As this was going on, Draco finally saw the opportunity he'd been waiting for all along. Draco had been waiting for Ron to truly let his crotch undefended. And that had been hard to accomplish. Draco of course didn't know that Ron Weasley had learned to defend his most sensitive body parts under all circumstances, after those weaknesses had been exploited for years by his younger sister, whenever the siblings where having a serious spat.

But now, Ron was clearly unable to defend his privates, and Draco had been saving a very special spell for just this occasion.

Draco fired off an Acid-Blood curse at Ron's crotch, before sending off an Expelliarmus to ensure that Weasley wouldn't be able to do the logical thing, which would have been casting the strongest ending spell he knew. Weasley came from a fully magical household. It had probably been one of the first things he'd been thought after getting his wand: "How do I stop or undo magic?"

Because for all the power and pain there was behind an Acid-Blood curse, it could be ended by a relatively simple Finite Malus for example, something about as difficult as the normal Finite Incantatem.

Both spells hit Ron, who immediately started howling in pure, unadulterated agony.

Everybody froze as they heard the tortured screams of Ron Weasley, and they couldn't help but stare at the shrieking redhead, and the blonde who was grinning and sadistically enjoying Ron's pain.

Neville was the first to regain his voice and he immediately spoke, "That's enough Draco! Undo that spell, come on, he's learned his lesson. Stop this now. Prove that you're above that. Draco, please!"

For just the slightest of moments, there was a flicker of uncertainty in Draco's eyes, as he gazed down upon his fallen opponent. And then his eyes hardened again.

"This bastard threatened me with death. I would've let that go. But he insulted my mother. And that, that I can't tolerate. Ronald Weasley, remember this for now and forever, I, Draco Malfoy, am your better in every single way, and I would have ignored your attempts at angering me. But you had to insult my mother, and for that, I am going to kill you."

Draco placed his wand carefully, almost lovingly against a still screaming Ron's forehead, as he prepared to speak the words that would kill Ron Weasley.

Neville finally acted, shooting an Expelliarmus and a Petrificus Totalus at Draco, and for a fraction of a second, that seemed to have been enough.

But then Draco spun around with great speed and he cast not just a Protego, no, he cast a reflective shield.

Thus, Neville's Expelliarmus was suddenly heading straight towards him, and his Petrificus Totalus was now heading for a surprised Rachel, as it had hit Draco's shield at an angle.

The only two people who might form a threat to him taken care of, Draco slowly turned to Ron yet again, the redhead's robes were stained red from all his bleeding wounds, and the only reason he was still alive was because of magic, and the fact that Draco had used the Acid-Blood spell in a location from where it would take a relatively long time before spreading to more vital organs.

Max and Hermione were still scrambling for their wands, Neville had started moving for his own wand as well, and Rachel was Petrified.

Draco placed his wand on Ron's forehead again, and he spoke, "Avada Ke-"

"DRACO." Harry Potter spoke in a loud and furious voice.

It was enough to make Draco falter, thus saving Ron Weasley's life.

Harry took one look at the situation before swiftly waving his wand toward Ron and muttering a Finite Malus, before slowly advancing towards Draco.

"Care to explain to me, Draco, why I find you almost killing Weasley number 6 upon my return to Hogwarts?" Harry spoke in an ice-cold voice, one that was ten times as threatening as if he'd been screaming or yelling at Draco.

Draco paled beyond even his usual complexion, reaching a shade of white previously thought impossible for human skin to have, as he shrank away from the aura of command that Harry was projecting.

A quick thought by Harry, and Hedwig was waving her tail feathers in front of Ron's nose.

"Grab a hold of those Ronald, Hedwig will take you to Pomfrey." Harry spoke before refocusing on Draco.

"If I ever find you trying to kill over something as banal as a schoolyard rivalry again, Draco, then I _will_ punish you most severely. Now get out of here. I will meet you at the oak next to the lake when I am finished cleaning up your mess. You will surrender your wand to Neville and you will wait there until I come. Now go." Harry demanded in his cool tones, allowing Draco to scurry away with his proverbial tail tucked between his legs once he'd surrendered his wand to Neville.

Neville used Draco's wand to summon those of both himself and his fellow Gryffindors, after which he started handing them out to his shell-shocked Housemates.

Harry muttered a Finite Incantatem to release Rachel from the Petrificus Totalus, before turning to Neville again.

"Go and watch over Draco. Once he realizes exactly what he did and how close he came to killing someone, he'll need you to restrain him from doing something stupid."

Neville gave a short nod before leaving the Owlery to go after Draco.

With that, Harry turned to the Gryffindors.

"I was not here for whatever lead up to the situation Hedwig flew me into, but I do know what the four of us are going to tell people about exactly how Ronald ended up in the hospital wing." Harry spoke, at the confused looks he got from Max, Harry threw a look at the witches, the question in his eyes quite clear: 'How do you put up with that?'

Getting an amused snicker out Rachel, and a suspicious cough from Hermione, Harry started dictating the official story, "Draco and Neville had come to the Owlery to send me a letter. You four showed up, Hermione and Rachel wanted to send their, I'm guessing weekly, letters to their families. Ron started insulting Draco because he is now officially Draco's social superior, where High Society is concerned at least."

Getting affirmative nods from the three Gryffindors, as well as something that was clearly guilt from Hermione, Harry continued, filing away the thought that Hermione was clearly not keeping regular contact with her muggle parents.

"Draco easily outwitted Ronald, at which the boy said he might as well do us all a favour and kill Draco. After all, Draco's father would pay him handsomely for doing so. Draco still maintained his composure, and said that he wasn't afraid of Ronald. At that, Ronald pulled his wand and fired an Expelliarmus at Draco. Draco felt threatened, overreacted, and defeated Ron easily, resulting in Ronald currently staying in the hospital wing."

Clearly, the Gryffindors weren't going to stand for this, as this story painted Ron as the sole bad guy, instead of the more truthful tale where both parties were guilt, and it didn't even mention Draco being a mere 2 syllables away from killing Ron.

The three opened their mouths as one to protest, but Harry cut them off.

"_That _is what happened. In exchange, you will not be obliviated by me, Draco will formally apologize to Ronald and I will not go to the papers with the simple fact that the Fabulous Foursome were collectively bested by a single Fourth Year Slytherin. Imagine what kind of reaction that would get from the people, Max. They might just start doubting your power and ability as a wizard…" Harry spoke, subtly threatening and dealing with the Gryffindors.

Getting an angry yet clearly defeated nod from Max, Harry spoke one final time, "I will also add my personal apology, and I shall visit Ronald in the hospital wing later. I am sorry for Draco's actions and apologize for the role I played in them. Had I not been absent as long as I have been, Draco would never have lost control so badly. For that, I apologize. Now I suggest you go and visit your friend in the Hospital Wing. He looked to be in very bad shape from what I saw. Draco, Neville and I will visit him later."

With that said, Harry turned to Hedwig, who had just settled down on her usual perch in the Owlery, as she had returned from dropping off Ron.

Ignoring the Gryffindors, Harry thanked his familiar, _'Thank you for the lift girl, Draco would've been a murderer if you hadn't carried me once I couldn't use the sea any longer to travel.'_

'_You are welcome Harry, if you really want to thank me than get me a perch in your dormitory. Now pay attention, the one you stare at sometimes wants to talk to you.'_

Looking over his shoulder, Harry noticed that Rachel was indeed lingering in the door opening. Max and Hermione had long since left.

Deciding to berate his familiar later, Harry turned to the girl, "Yes?"

"I- I just wanted to," Rachel stuttered before taking a deep breath and continuing, "I wanted to thank you for saving Ron's life, Harry. It's good to have you back, I missed you."

With that, Rachel looked as if she wanted to hug Harry or something, before she turned beet red and she bolted off.

Harry let out an amused snort, "Oh Gryffindor, where dwell the brave of heart."

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry had left the Owlery after talking with Hedwig for a few more minutes. He was now rapidly moving for the Entrance Hall, from where he'd be able to go and have his talk with Draco.

The Entrance Hall was easily reached, but when he threw a casual glance at the doors to the Great Hall, Harry froze. The Great Hall was unrecognizable!

From what Harry could see, the original setup of the Hall had been the same as it had been for Lockhart's failed Duelling Club back in second year.

The difference, was that the stage on which Lockhart and Snape had held their presentation, two years ago, was now covered in scorch marks, and the stage and the floor surrounding it were covered in debris. There were also multiple blood stains on both stage and ground, and Harry even spotted a Ravenclaw banner, hanging from one of the walls, that had a splatter of dark red blood marring it.

A horrified Harry slowly moved for the Great Hall, when Professor Flitwick appeared at the top of the Grand Staircase.

"Harry!" The small professor happily spoke, "You're back! It's great to see you healthy and well."

As Flitwick came down the stairs to stand next to Harry, the younger wizard spoke to his former mentor, "What happened?"

Flitwick sighed sadly, before starting to explain the situation to Harry in a low voice, "You see, Madame Pomfrey has been proven right yet again, Quidditch truly is the most dangerous thing in the entire Wizarding World."

At Harry's puzzled look, Flitwick continued, "During lunch today, some words were exchanged between Mr Krum and a friend of his. The discussion appeared rather heated and apparently this friend of Mr Krum, Mr Dimitrov, claimed that Krum would never win the Quidditch World Cup simply because his team was lacking and Krum himself, while great, simply wasn't great enough."

Harry let out a sympathetic wince, seeing how the Bulgarian superstar might have taken that the wrong way, but he allowed Flitwick to tell his tale.

"The discussion would have remained just that, a discussion, if it hadn't been for Mr Finnigan's untimely appearance. He's in your year, Seamus Finnigan, Gryffindor, you know who I mean Harry?"

At Harry's affirmative nod, Flitwick continued, "Mr Finnigan was talking to Mr Thomas, who made the joke: 'What's the difference between a smart Irish man and an honest politician? Nothing, they're both fictional characters!' Mr Finnigan of course took offence and he yelled: 'I'm Irish you prick!' Now unfortunately Mr Krum only heard Mr Finnigan's reply, and he decided that this was a challenge by Mr Finnigan. Some heated words were exchanged and Krum challenged Finnigan to a Honour Duel."

Harry merely waved a hand towards the devastation in front of him in reply, "That doesn't explain the amount of damage I'm looking at. Krum should have trounced Finnigan easily."

"He should have, yes. But unfortunately, we are talking about Seamus Finnigan here. The boy who manages to blow up more things using only his wand, then all students combined manage to blow up in an entire year of Potions classes. As it is, the duel started and Krum fired a piercer, hitting Seamus in the leg, the boy panicked and he started trying to transfigure of all things. Everybody knows about Seamus' lack of success in that particular discipline of course. He not only managed to start blowing things up at a speed I would've thought impossible, he also managed to blow up parts of the stage, causing large chunks of debris to go flying."

Flitwick let out a pained sigh before continuing, "Krum lost his left leg when Finnigan literally blew it to pieces. Krum is undergoing reconstructive surgery as we go. 4 students got critically injured with another 27 heavy to light injuries. Albus managed to get everybody who was wounded into the hospital wing, Minerva called for help from St. Mungo's and Severus and Pomona and I made sure all students returned to their dormitories. Most of them are still there, not accounted for are you yourself, now found, the so-called Fabulous Foursome, now accounted for with all of them in the hospital wing, Ronald has suffered severe injury as well apparently, Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy and our own Luna Lovegood. I was actually going out to look for her near the Forbidden Forest. Some fifth years admitted they had stolen Miss Lovegood's stuff."

Harry was stunned by the time Flitwick ended his explanation, after taking several seconds to compose himself, he spoke, "Albus is in his office fending off a furious Bulgary-Durmstrang alliance then?"

Getting a chuckle from Flitwick, Harry continued, "Very well, let people call off the search for Draco and Neville, they're out on the grounds. They weren't in the Hall during the whole debacle that lead to the current situation. I was going to talk to them right now actually. Only one still unaccounted for is Lovegood then, so I suggest having somebody interrogate my beloved Housemates to gain more information. Now, I clearly can't help here so I'm going to go outside to talk to Draco and Neville."

"Of course, of course, and thank you for your suggestion Harry, I'll go and do that while the other teachers continue the search. It's good to have you back." Flitwick spoke softly before moving to go and interrogate some sixth years.

Harry stared after the half-goblin for a few seconds before turning on his heel and moving for the doors again.

"I wish I could say that it's good to _be_ back as well." Harry muttered, still, this whole debacle at least explained why there had been no teacher to interfere when the Owlery showdown had taken place. Dumbledore had clearly been too busy to react to a relatively minor twinge of the wards. Had Draco managed to finish his final spell, that would have certainly changed.

~~~~Scene Change~~~~

As Harry walked up to Draco and Neville, he immediately noticed the stony expression of the latter, and the apologetic expression of the former.

"Draco, that letter you sent actually reached me in mid-flight. Reading was impractical, but I did manage. So I can somewhat understand what kind of stress you were under, and I can even understand the desire to free this world from Ronald Weasley." Harry spoke softly in an almost sympathetic tone.

"But what I can most definitely not condone, is that you actually acted on those feelings! Had I been even a second later in showing up, you would now be on your way to Azkaban and Ron Weasley would have been dead! I wasn't present for your little showdown, but I reckon you actually enjoyed hurting Weasley! Do you even realize how far you have set us back with this little confrontation of yours? We had a tentative but stable truce with the Potters, and everybody was fine with you and Neville and me being friends! What do you think happens if news of your actions spreads? Neville will be forced to choose between his family and you, as they will most definitely not allow a friendship with a would-be murderer! Furthermore, what little Dumbledore can still do to protect you would be gone as well, as everybody will have proof that you are willing to murder people who upset you! What were you thinking Draco?"

Draco sighed deeply before looking at Harry, regret emanating from him, "I let him get to me. I apologize for what I did, I originally planned to just knock him around a bit, but his weakness, it was intoxicating, and he insulted my mother and then I just couldn't stop… I truly am sorry Harry, I will go and apologize to Weasley later. I'm currently still apologizing to Neville for my earlier mistakes though."

At that, Harry threw a surprised glance at Neville, who didn't bother responding to Draco's words.

"Clearly, that is between the two of you, and it is rather obvious that the damage you have caused cannot be healed in a single day. We will go to the hospital wing now, how you get Neville to forgive you is not my business. Now come on, we have to apologize to Weasley and I have to start trying to get on Seamus Finnigan's good side."

Getting surprised and non-understanding looks from his friends, Harry elaborated, "Somebody else will give you the details, but I will tell you that I wish for Finnigan to be on my side if I ever end up in a fight. He is too dangerous as an enemy. I believe it would be appropriate to call him a loose cannon."

With that, Harry started moving for Hogwarts again, his friends by his sides. As much as Harry might dislike this, he had Weasley number six to apologize to.

* * *

><p><strong>How positively evil! An entire chapter and no Dumbledore, no explanation about the idea Karkaroff gave him. Now before people start freaking out about the whole duel Great Hall scene, remember that in the story I'm writing, the Wizarding World still has stuff like House Laws, Honour Duels and Blood Feuds. People Always write this stuff about how in duels there are incredible wards and barriers that stop everything from reaching the audience. <strong>

**I find that unlikely because not only did Second year not have that, with the whole snake almost attacking someone in the audience, and more importantly, if there were wards and stuff that strong, to completely block any and all magic from going through, those wards would be indestructible, hence people would protect their homes like that and thus Voldemort couldn't have possibl gotten into Godric's Hollow in canon. So yeah, that explains that.**

**Please leave a review and in exchange you recieve my gratitude, nice deal, no?**


	33. Let's talk

**Hi, real quick,**

**thanks for your reviews, favorites and follows. That's all from me. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Blood, vomit, urine and sweat. The smells one would expect on a battlefield, not in a school.<p>

Preparing themselves for what they were about to walk into, the three students moved for the doors.

Harry could feel the silencing charm that had been placed on them, and it was that which made him turn to his friends.

"You might want to prepare yourselves, the wing has been placed in a Cone of Silence. Once we move past those doors, we will get not only the sights, but also the sounds to accompany the smell." Harry spoke in a grave voice.

It was already becoming clear to the boys, how horrible the results of the Honour Duel were.

Without any further ado, Harry pulled open the doors and moved into the wing.

He was immediately assaulted by a cacophony of noises.

Students were screaming in agony, others were crying miserably and even as the boys moved on, the sound of someone vomiting joined the horrifying medley that was being played in the wing.

And then there were the sights. There were of course privacy screens placed around some of the beds, but those were unfortunately the exception, not the rule.

Harry could see one boy who had a piece of wood the size of a pen sticking out of his shoulder. Another's face was disfigured on one side, small pieces of shrapnel still lodged in the flesh of his face. There was a girl who had three pieces of wood, probably straight from the duelling stage, all as thick as Harry's thumb, sticking out of the left side of her stomach.

Even as the boys watched, they could see multiple healers racing through the wing, focusing on stopping bleeding and removing foreign objects from the wounds for now. Pain relief and actual treatment were forced to wait until later.

In the far corner of the wing, large privacy screens were drawn up and there were two burly Durmstrang students guarding the entrance. That had to be Krum's resting spot, where healers would be struggling to reconstruct Krum's leg before his brain truly accepted it as gone. Because if that were to happen, the Quidditch star would be forced to relearn using his leg as if he were a new-born babe.

Suddenly, even as Draco and Harry were scanning the wing for Ron Weasley, Neville let out a horrified gasp before sprinting towards one of the beds.

It took Harry a second to realize that the person who occupied that bed was Hannah Abbot. And she was clearly one of the students who Flitwick had mentioned as being in a critical condition.

There were two Healers working intensely on Hannah, neither even bothering to look up as Neville arrived at their side to stare down upon his Yule Ball date.

Hannah had an gaping hole on the right side of her stomach. Even from where Harry was watching, he could see that part of her intestines were no longer technically her _in_testines.

Her face was coated in blood and her normally blonde locks were now a weird sort of pinkish colour because of the blood drenching it.

Her right underarm was simply gone. Blown or torn off. From the elbow down, Hannah did not have a limb any longer.

The floor under her bed was drenched in blood and it was clear to Harry, that the girl's life still hung in the balance.

Even as Harry and Draco managed to get over their shock, and started moving to pull Neville back so that he wouldn't be in the healers way, one of the two men looked up.

"We have to take her to Mungo's, this requires specialists!"

The other man didn't even look up from the hole in Hannah's stomach he was trying to treat. He merely muttered a quick, "Agreed," before casting a spell that Harry guessed was a stasis charm to keep the girl stabilised.

The men transfigured the bed Hannah was on into a gurney, before starting to move for the enormous fireplace that had clearly been transfigured to allow for direct travel between the wing and Mungo's. It was so big, the two healers didn't even have to leave the gurney's sides, instead simply vanishing as one.

Neville simply stared helplessly as his 'secret' girlfriend disappeared into the Floo.

Harry put a hand on Neville's shoulder before speaking, "Go look for Sprout, she'll have to alert Hannah's parents about the severity of the situation. Maybe they'll let you accompany them."

At Neville's surprised look, Draco decided to elaborate, because Harry was clearly not going to.

"We know that you're dating her Neville. Go, she needs you to do this."

And with that said, Harry let go of Neville and started looking for Ron Weasley again. In moments like these, it became apparent exactly how tactless Harry was.

Fortunately, Draco noticed how Neville had paled, and he muttered a quick, "She'll be fine Neville, the healers at Mungo's are the best in the country. Go look for Sprout."

Neville gave a faint nod, completely forgetting about the anger he still felt because of Draco's words earlier in the day, instead sprinting off towards the Hufflepuff Basement.

In the meantime, Harry had spotted the non-injured part of the Fabulous Foursome, who were surrounding an apparently stabilised Ron Weasley.

Moving for Ron's bed, Harry could hear Draco following him.

As he neared Ron's bed, Harry could see Ron tensing even as Hermione leaned down to whisper something to him.

Harry guessed it was probably something along the lines of either 'be nice' or 'stick to the story'.

As Draco stood at his side, Harry noticed he could no longer hear the cacophony of sound that had hung in the hospital wing not seconds ago. The effect was complete and subtle, so subtle that Harry actually had to pause for a second before he could detect the Cone of Silence they'd stepped into.

A silencing charm inside of a silencing charm. Very impressive indeed.

Forgoing his intended apology for a second, Harry instead turned to Hermione.

"This is your work, I take it?" Harry asked in a polite and curious tone.

Harry's question drew three puzzled gazes and one slight blush from Hermione herself.

"Yes, it is." She answered shyly, doing her best to clamp down on the blush. After all, it was not every day that your school's Champion showed interest in your work.

"I could show you if you'd like?" Hermione continued whilst her blush intensified slightly.

Harry knew that the girl had offered out of pure academic interest, but that didn't mean that he wasn't displeased at her assumption that he didn't know this piece of magic.

"That will not be necessary, I assure you." Harry spoke in a more formal tone, trying to subtly remind the girl of her place. Second place to be more precise.

Although Granger was indeed the number one student in their year, that was solely because Harry had knowingly been holding back for three years. In a fair race, Harry was Hermione's superior by far.

After all, she hadn't been getting private, advanced tutoring for years from the professors. And Dumbledore had probably never even truly spoken to her, let alone given her weekly tutoring sessions.

Hermione's blush intensified at Harry's rebuke, this time probably out of embarrassment.

"Now then, to the actual reason for my visit." Harry spoke in a suddenly grave and apologetic voice. Turning to Ron, Harry continued.

"Ronald, I am truly sorry that I was unable to prevent any injury from coming to you. I hope that your recovery will be swift and that all your injuries will heal without any lasting consequences."

Harry's polite and apparently serious apology drew stunned looks and gaping mouths from the four people in front of him. And before they could recover, Draco spoke up.

"I too wish to apologize Ronald. I lost my self-control and you suffered the consequences of that. I am sorry for wounding you so heavily and I hope that you will recover soon."

Ron looked about ready to faint, and his companions weren't that much better off.

When Draco and Harry kept standing at Ron's bed with expectant faces though, Hermione managed to shake off the shock as well.

Hermione bent down to whisper something into Ron's ear, and when she stood upright again, Ron scraped his throat.

"Uh, yes, well, um, thank you Harry, Draco, I appreciate your apologies and extend my own for provoking you Draco." Ron managed to say, before looking at Hermione to see if he had her approval.

Hermione gave Ron a pleased nod and Harry and Draco spoke as one, "Apology accepted Ronald."

For a second, everybody was silent before Harry spoke up again.

"Well then if you'll excuse us, we really must be going."

And with that, Harry and Draco turned. Leaving the hospital wing again, as they had no further reason for staying there.

.

.

.

Harry turned to Draco when they arrived at the Grand Staircase. Harry needed to go up for his dorms, Draco needed to go to the dungeons for his own.

As he turned to head up the stairs, Harry spoke without looking back.

"Most of Slytherin House is gathered in your common room Draco, they are probably upset and unstable as with the amount of blood ties in your house, most will probably have a family member in the hospital wing. You are a wanted man. My return is not yet commonly known. I strongly suggest spending the night elsewhere. Cheerio!"

And with that Harry left. Draco had misbehaved, so he got punished. Simple. Harry could have easily accompanied Draco to his common room. If the snakes had seen Harry by Draco's side, they would have backed off again. But that would have to wait for tomorrow.

Glancing into the Entrance Hall, Harry noticed that Draco had left. Which was good, as Harry actually had to visit Dumbledore.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Having ascended the staircase to Albus' office, Harry ignored the yelling he could hear through Albus' office door, it was probably Karkaroff anyways, and he knocked politely.

The yelling immediately stopped and Dumbledore spoke up, "Come in, Harry."

Doing as instructed, Harry moved into Dumbledore's office.

Present were Dumbledore himself, Karkaroff and an entourage of three highly upset looking men, a bone white Seamus Finnigan, Hat and Fawkes, and Auror Sirius Black.

Surprised by Seamus' presence, Harry couldn't say the same for the other people present. Karkaroff and his tagalongs were clearly trying to rip Albus a new one, Albus was being his usual self, Hat and Fawkes had nowhere else to be and were highly amused by the frustration evident on the faces of the Bulgarian-Durmstrang team, Black was here to intervene if the situation turned violent, which wasn't unlikely, and Harry was here because Albus and he needed to have a long overdue talk.

"Should I come back at another time?" Harry asked in a polite tone.

Most of the people present seemed to like that idea, but Albus was just a bit faster.

"That will not be necessary Harry, we are almost done here." The old man twinkled.

Harry immediately recognized that for what it was. Albus was drawing Karkaroff out.

"We are not done here Dumbledore! We demand punishment for the criminal! He almost killed Viktor in what was clearly an attempt to take Durmstrang's champion out of the Triwizard Tournament, and the greatest Seeker in the world out of Quidditch!"

Harry saw his chance to create the opening he would need to get Seamus on his side.

"Excuse me? Might I enquire why Seamus is present here?" Harry spoke in a polite and inquiring tone, acting innocent and uninformed was not Harry's specialty, but it was a useful tool.

"He is the criminal who tried to kill Viktor!" Shouted one of Karkaroff's companions.

"Seamus? Try to kill Krum? Are you mad? Why would he possibly want to do that?" Harry asked in a befuddled tone.

Before anybody could respond, Albus continued on, "Indeed, Mr Finnigan clearly did not intend to cause anywhere near the amount of damage he inflicted. The current situation was caused solely because of hot tempers and panic. So Mr Finnigan, feel free to return to your common room. Professor McGonagall is there and she has already explained the situation to your Housemates. The other Heads have done the same for their own Houses. Nobody blames you for what happened, now go along."

Seamus clearly didn't dare believe that he was getting away like that. He glanced around the office for a few seconds. Harry and Albus gave him encouraging nods, and that sufficed as the boy immediately stood up and left the office, rapidly closing the door behind him.

Everyone remained quiet for a few seconds until Dumbledore spoke to Karkaroff, "Will that be all Igor? Perhaps Mr Krum would appreciate your presence in the hospital wing?"

"Not so fast Albus," Igor spoke in his once again oily voice.

"It is obvious that you are not going to punish that criminal for trying to kill Viktor. So much for your inane ramblings about international cooperation. Are you at least going to admit that you are helping your school champion in this Tournament?"

Karkaroff's companions were now all gazing between Harry and Dumbledore, although neither of the men so much as blinked.

"I cannot admit to being guilty of something if I am not actually executing the action in question Igor. I am not helping Harry with the Triwizard Tournament, as not only would that be unsporting, the oaths we swore also make it impossible for me to do anything the Goblet might perceive as cheating." Albus spoke with a happy smile and an overly complicated speech.

Harry simply waited, he wanted to talk to Albus, and if that meant waiting for Karkaroff to stop his posturing, then so be it.

Karkaroff flushed lightly before turning on his heels and leaving. His companions following on his heels.

As Karkaroff left the office, he shouted at Dumbledore over his shoulder, "We will continue this discussion when the other judges are present Albus!"

Dumbledore didn't reply, instead opting to wait until the final Bulgarian slammed his office door shut before letting out a long-suffering sigh.

Albus then turned to Sirius.

"I believe your presence is no longer required Sirius, thank you for your assistance, I suggest you go make a report of today's events for Amelia."

Sirius glanced in Harry's direction before replying in a confident and suggestive tone.

"Are you sure Albus? I mean perhaps it would be better if you had a witness for your talk with Harry here, to testify that your discussion did not pertain to any illegitimate activities."

Despite his displeasure with Black, Harry was impressed by the man's acting, it was obvious that he had been the charming quarter of the legendary Marauders.

"No I do not think that that will be necessary Sirius, Harry and I need to have a private conversation, and considering your ties with certain individuals, I believe it would be best not to include you in that conversation. Now if you please, I still have a lot of things to do today, and your stalling is only increasing the pressure on my schedule." Dumbledore spoke in a slightly chastising tone before looking pointedly at the door.

With something oddly reminiscent of the whining of a dog, Sirius left Dumbledore's office.

And then only Dumbledore and Harry were left.

Breaking the silence with something that was now bothering him, Harry spoke dryly, "Please don't let Karkaroff change the Third Task so that my large lead in points becomes useless. I worked far too hard for that."

Dumbledore chuckled softly at Harry's dry wit before sincerely replying, "I will do my very best to prevent that, Harry."

As both men grew silent again, Dumbledore let out another tired sigh before making eye contact with Harry.

"We need to have a long overdue talk Harry. Some of the things you said before leaving Hogwarts worry me. I would like to discuss those things. Then I would like to extend an offer to you. But I will talk about that later. What worries me, Harry, is that you have severe trust issues. Cynicism is good, but trust is essential to keep yourself on the right path. One who trusts none is one who loves none, and one who loves none is one who cares for none. And if you care for nobody… Well, I believe you are quite capable of drawing your own conclusions."

"I have taken a vacation. It was relaxing, and it made me realize a few things. I realize that I can trust you and Draco and Neville. Dudley, Aunt Petunia and Vernon too. But that is not natural for me. I am used to not trusting anybody and keeping secrets from all. I am going to do my best to trust more and to show that as well, but you have to give me the time to do so on my own speed." Harry answered in a sincere voice, trying to convey exactly what he felt to Dumbledore.

The old man hummed thoughtfully before he responded, "I will let you move on your own speed Harry. I am very glad that you have realized this on your own, and that you have even managed to see the difference between how your family once was, and how they are now. That is a very important step in learning to trust again."

Dumbledore smiled at Harry before leaning back in his chair.

"Now Harry, there was of course something else you said when we last met here. You said, and I will quote, _'__It's not as if I was beaten until I managed to become the man with the bigger club now is it?! Fuck Albus, it's a wonder I haven't started killing people yet! I may not condone Voldemort's actions, but I'll be damned if I don't understand where the man is coming from!'_, end quote." Dumbledore spoke in a calm and normal voice, not using the same inflection that Harry had used during his rant.

"I am very proud of you for exactly what you said Harry. Please correct me if I am wrong at any point during my analysis." Dumbledore continued, before pausing until Harry gave an affirming nod.

"First, I want you to know how terribly sorry I am for what happened during your younger years Harry. I never knew about the abuse you were going through. As it is, I am a busy man, and to my eternal shame I must admit that checking up on you simply was not something I made a priority of. Later, I forgot about you. So it was that you were forced to take care of your guardians on your own." Dumbledore spoke, gazing at Harry with tears in his eyes, "Can you forgive me Harry?"

Harry shrugged stiffly, uncomfortable with the situation.

"I was not yours to check up on Albus. The mere fact that you apologize for it now, is more than anything _they_ ever did for me. I have forgiven Aunt Petunia and Vernon as well. Dudley and I are friends. I forgive you for not being able to take care of every small detail in Magical England and the ICW. Now please, continue. I haven't been back for more than a few hours, and I'm tired again already." Harry spoke wearily, not pleased with all this talking about feelings and forgiveness.

Albus took of his glasses and conjured a handkerchief before wiping his eyes clean. Doing that, the old man slowly put his glasses back on.

"Yes well, apparently Harry, you have grown quite essential for the continued smooth running of Hogwarts." Dumbledore jested eventually, before growing serious once more.

"Next you said of course, that it was a wonder that you have not yet started killing people. I do not fear you ever turning into a mass murderer Harry, you are too intelligent, too logical, too calculative even. What I fear, and I will admit to truly fearing this, is that you might someday give up on other people, and simply decide to _leave._"

Albus gazed at Harry over the top of his glasses.

"Simply leave. And not come back. Break all contact with the British Wizarding World, maybe even the Muggle one as well, never looking back. _That _I fear, I will even admit to having thought that you planned to do so when you stormed out of my office after our last meeting. But I do not fear you suddenly turning into a murdering sociopath." Albus continued his monologue, all the while staring at Harry, who was clinically gazing back, waiting.

"Then, what most would see as most important. You understand where Voldemort comes from. Yet, you do not condone. This more than anything, shows how mature you really are Harry. I do not know how you know about Tom Riddle's roots, nor will I ask you to tell me. But the fact that you understand Tom's path, where it has led him, that is important. That you understand this, yet oppose him still, that is just another thing that makes me so very proud of you." Dumbledore looked at Harry with a small, yet proud smile.

"So Harry, all I ask now is this. Knowing that people can be redeemed, as evidenced by the Dursleys themselves, what would you do if you had full power over Voldemort, right now?" Dumbledore asked before gazing at Harry intently.

Clearly, Dumbledore expected this to be a question Harry would have to ponder over, consider all aspects and everything he knew. Yet Harry answered the moment Albus closed his mouth.

"I'd kill him." Harry stated brusquely.

Dumbledore didn't reply, instead waiting for Harry to elaborate.

"Some people are redeemable. This is true. But there are others, and for those others, there is only a single permanent and efficient solution. Death. Voldemort, Tom Riddle, is one of those people. Bellatrix Lestrange is another example. Antonin Dolohov too. Peter Pettigrew fits as well. And there are others. Some of which walk around freely at this very moment."

Harry didn't pause, he didn't relent, he would discuss this once, and only once.

"Redemption is something to strive for. When it is realistic, when it does not endanger other people. The Dursleys got their chance at redemption because they were rendered incapable of ever harming me again. If I ever face a person who is beyond redemption, then I will fight to kill. It might change me, it might repulse me, but I will kill if the situation asks for it." Harry spoke in a firm voice, not a shred of doubt in his mind.

"Then what makes us different from them, Harry?" Albus asked softly, too many emotions in his voice to describe.

"Two things. The first is that we do not harm those who are innocent. We will fight for justice. Justice has failed before, but we will not give up on it. That is what makes us different." Harry spoke calmly.

"And the second?" Albus asked while lifting his left eyebrow.

"The second is that we will triumph whilst they will know only defeat." Harry finished coolly.

Dumbledore's eyes started twinkling.

"I have truly missed you Harry. You have a most unique sense of humour." The old man spoke with a slight smile.

"Now then, I think the time has come for me to make my offer. First and foremost, what I will offer you cannot actually be executed until after the Triwizard Tournament. Even then, we will have to wait until the summer holidays before it truly becomes active. I want you to think about this very carefully Harry. Consider all angles, all benefits, all drawbacks." Dumbledore spoke, the twinkle in his eyes gone once more.

Harry nodded, his face a blank mask, his eyes sparking with concentration, already trying to deduct what Albus was about to suggest.

Albus leaned forward, he steepled his hands in front of him, and he gazed at Harry over the top of his glasses before speaking.

"Harry, I would like for you to become my Apprentice."

Harry didn't react noticeably, only his eyes grew even more vivid, sparkling and focusing fully on Albus' own eyes.

"Now I reckon that you know quite a lot about what a Master-Apprentice relationship entails, I must still insist upon explaining this fully, to make sure that you have _all_ the details before deciding either way." Albus spoke softly, gazing back at the still unmoving Harry.

At this point most, if not almost all, wizards would have enthusiastically agreed to Dumbledore's offer, honoured that the wizened warlock had chosen them and not even daring to consider refusing.

Harry was one of very few exceptions.

He calmly waited for Dumbledore to continue, all the while furiously putting pro's and con's against each other and carefully considering every single consequence, both short and long term ones.

The most ridiculous consequence he came up with was that he'd be expected to make a speech at Dumbledore's funeral one day if he were to say yes. Harry had already started composing the speech, starting with _'Life is like a lemon drop. It's sour. And yet-'_, before he managed to regain his thoughts and continued his more serious thoughts.

"A Master-Apprentice relationship means that I get a level of control over you. How far that control reaches depends on the level of the bond. We will share adventures and trials, and during this I shall teach you. You will remain my Apprentice until either I dub you a Master yourself, you break our bond which will force you to bear certain negative consequences, I break our bond, or either of us dies. I will assume all legal responsibilities for you, at least until you are of age, or until I dub you a Master. If I decide you are incapable of being independent, I will be able to maintain your legal responsibilities even after you have become of age." Dumbledore spoke, taking a breath, he continued.

"We might be able to send each other certain messages or emotions via our minds, in times of great need or stress. Then there are the political repercussions. You and I will formally be seen as being fully on the same side. Basically, you will become my Heir. The one who will one day step in Albus Dumbledore's footsteps. You will accompany me to official functions if I wish it. You will have to request my permission to leave my side. So visiting your family, taking a trip, meeting with Draco and Neville, all of those will no longer be taking place without having to ask me for permission first."

"I will strive to teach you all I can, as well as I can, and as fast as I can. There will be consequences for your Hogwarts career as well, but I cannot yet tell you precisely what those will be, as I will have to speak to the Board, and I will have to talk to the other teachers first. Also important of course, is that many will challenge you. They will question whether or not you are the correct choice for the role of my apprentice. Why you? Why not somebody more experienced? More well-known? Why not Max? Why not a pureblood? That is what becoming my Apprentice entails, Harry." Albus finished, gazing at Harry calmly.

For two whole minutes, neither spoke, and all was silent.

Then, Harry spoke up.

"I am interested in exploring the opportunity of an Apprenticeship, but I will be doing research first. I want to know precisely what level of bond I am willing to make with you, if any at all. I am not slighting you, for the advantages are many, but this is a decision I refuse to make lightly. Can you accept that?" Harry spoke diplomatically, politely even.

Dumbledore chuckled.

With twinkling eyes, he answered, "Of course Harry. That is perfectly alright. Now it is late, and tomorrow will be another day. I suggest you go to sleep now."

Harry snorted. Standing up, he moved for the door.

"I'll be sleeping with the fish tonight." Harry spoke before closing the door behind him.

Dumbledore looked blankly at the door before jumping up in panic. If he had his Muggle references correct, sleeping with the fish meant as much as being dead.

The old man had taken two brisk steps for the door already, when he realized why Harry had snorted.

"Bratty boy." The old man muttered before moving for his own bed as well.

Just like Harry to show up for a couple of hours, let the rumours spread that he's returned to the castle, and then go and sleep in the Lake.

Albus was honestly curious what the Hogwarts' rumour mill would be able to cook up by breakfast tomorrow.

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><p><strong>Done :) <strong>

**Give me your thoughts, give me your feelings, review please! Merry Christmas as well by the way. And I'll talk to you all later. Bye!**


	34. That about sums it up

**Here I am, once again. I was lost but have been found again.**

**Chapter 34! Awesome! In which Year Four gets tied up and we start the final sprint towards the Third Task. It's not as long as the chapters usually are, but it felt right to cut the chapter where I did. Please give me your thoughts, and I would like to thank you all for reading, following, favoriting and most importantly, reviewing.**

**Now, without much further ado, enjoy!**

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><p>Harry's return to Hogwarts had caused some waves. The Slytherins had backed off of Draco, the foreigners had stopped blaming the English of cheating, and the Hogwartians were once again putting their hopes on Harry for a Hogwarts victory, instead of Max.<p>

The final tally on the amount and severity of the injuries suffered due to the Krum-Finnegan duel, had come in at no deaths, only two long-term hospitalizations, one of whom was Hannah, no permanent disfigurations or handicaps, minor to mild scarring for a few students, and a new leg for Viktor Krum.

Hannah would have to remain at St. Mungo's for another month at least where she could be visited by her school friends during the weekends, but she would make a full recovery, keeping only a scar on her abdomen, where her intestines had at one point been coming out of her body. Neville had met Hannah's parents, and managed to get their approval without any trouble, which wasn't surprising, after all, Neville was… well, Neville.

All in all, thanks to swift and good medical treatment led by Pomfrey and Mungo's, more severe consequences had been prevented. Pomfrey had actually been suggested to receive an Order of Merlin, Third Class. The suggestion would be discussed during the next Wizengamot meeting.

There'd been wild rumours flying around the school when Harry Potter had shown up in the hospital wing alongside Draco Malfoy to talk to Ron Weasley, who'd been hospitalized after a heavy duel with Draco Malfoy.

The creepiest one was that Harry had attempted to possess Ron, trying to switch bodies with the redhead. To do that, he'd had to weaken the ginger's defenses for which he had employed the help of Draco Malfoy. When Ron had managed to resist them despite his grave injuries, Draco and Harry had been impressed by the purity of his soul and they had allowed him to crawl to the hospital wing. On the way there, he'd been found by the rest of the Fabulous Foursome and they had aided him.

All in all, a week after Harry's return, Hogwarts life was back to normal. Although Harry had yet to answer Dumbledore's so very important question. Which was why Harry was now climbing the stairs to the Headmaster's office, ready to give the warlock his answer.

Knocking, Harry waited for Dumbledore to call him in before opening the door to his office and entering.

Dumbledore, Fawkes, Hat and the portraits were the only sentient beings present. Dumbledore smiled benignly at Harry whilst offering him a lemon drop, to which Harry reacted as usual, by asking for a cup of lemon tea.

With the usual routine handled, the two got to business.

"I can't do it Albus." Harry said, cutting straight to the chase.

Albus leaned back in his chair, sighing disappointedly.

"I feared that would be the case. Very well Harry, I trust you have carefully considered your decision, and have very good reasons for refusing. I cannot deny that I had hoped for a positive answer, but I understand your decision, and I will respect it. The offer still stands, if you ever decide to change your mind." Dumbledore spoke wearily, accepting the answer he'd been expecting.

Dumbledore eventually spoke up again, after both had remained silent for a while, each occupied with his own thoughts.

"Igor made his move earlier today. He called together all the judges and listed a rather impressive amount of reasons why we should modify the third task to decrease the advantage your impressive lead gives you on the other champions. Madame Maxime of course agreed, as she wants Miss Delacour to win by whatever means necessary, something I am sad to say has disappointed me."

"Fortunately, they didn't manage to persuade Ludo or Percy, so the third task remains unchanged. You will be granted more information tomorrow, so as to give you two weeks to prepare for an at least somewhat defined challenge." Albus finished, gazing at Harry over the top of his glasses.

Harry lifted a questioning eyebrow, "Percy? Is he still one of the judges then?"

Dumbledore nodded, "Yes, he has been promoted temporarily, on a trial basis. You see, it turns out that the Department saw a huge increase in efficiency during Barty's absence, so it has been decided that Percy will receive the position if that increase proves durable."

Nodding, Harry twiddled with his thumbs for a second.

"Well then thank you for not letting my lead lose its importance. I appreciate it." Harry eventually spoke, before sighing deeply and standing up.

"Unfortunately, I don't have the time for a game of chess tonight. I have a meeting with some business associates and a pyrotechnics specialist." Harry spoke, before turning to leave.

Dumbledore merely hummed before bending over some papers on his desk. Hat spoke up though.

"Make sure they don't blow up the castle Harry. I've grown attached to the whole 'undamaged' look."

Harry answered as he left, "I'll do my best Hat." After which the door closed.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry and the Twins looked up as somebody knocked on the door to the classroom the boys were using.

"Come on in Seamus." Harry called, before turning to the recipe in front of him again. The Twins had been working on a bonbon that would make whoever ate it bald. The name had been pretty self-evident, as the Bald Bonbon sounded nice and pointed out the intended effect easily, but the Twins were having trouble with keeping the effect temporary.

Harry had invited Seamus to not only get himself a connection with the Irish cannon, but also to let the boy use his talent for pyrotechnics on the fireworks the Weasley twins were developing.

As Seamus entered, Harry beckoned him over.

"Seamus, you of course know Fred and George already," Harry spoke whilst gesturing at the boys.

Getting a nod, Harry continued.

"I invited you here, to help The Twins with the development of their fireworks. Are you interested in helping out with that?"

Seamus grinned widely at the mention of fireworks.

"Ya sure! I'll help out in any way I can!" The Irishman exclaimed enthusiastically before moving over to the twins.

Harry smiled contentedly, this was the in he'd needed to get the Irishman on his side. The Twins and Seamus would probably develop an actual friendship over their mutual love for explosions, after which Harry would be able to exercise a certain measure of control over Seamus via this influence over The Twins.

After a couple of extra minutes, Harry modified a few of the ingredients in The Twins' recipe, before turning around.

"That should do it boys, try this out when you have some time, and also see if you can localize the balding effect, you know, only the hair on the head or only the hair on the legs. If you manage to somehow only make the legs bald, you can keep the original recipe, as women will be coming from far and wide for an easy way to keep their legs hairless for long periods of time." Harry grinned, before standing up and moving for the door.

"Will that be all for tonight boys?" Harry asked as he stood in the doorway.

Fred and George bobbed their heads enthusiastically, before returning to their conversation with Seamus on a way to magnify the 'boom' of some of their products.

Grinning, Harry left the classroom. If The Twins kept their current speed up, they'd be able to start selling on a large scale somewhere early in the summer vacation. And once he'd won the Tournament, Harry would be able to increase The Twins' funds significantly, after which the boys would be able to increase their productivity once again. Yes, this project was a great success, and Harry couldn't have been more pleased about it.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry was en route to the Quidditch Pitch, as the Champions would receive more information on the Third Task today, and that information would be given to them at the Quidditch pitch.

Moving up to the Pitch, Harry could see Bagman and Delacour were already there. Joining them, Harry investigated the Pitch more closely. It had been torn up, and shoulder-high hedges had been grown all over it. Harry immediately realized how he'd be able to win this task without any problem at all.

Remaining silent, Harry played dumb. He just stared at the maze uncomprehendingly whilst waiting for Krum and Max to join them.

Bagman was prattling about something or other, and Delacour was throwing around haughty looks whilst angrily glaring at Harry every few seconds. Clearly, the blonde still disliked Harry. That was okay, the feeling was mutual.

Eventually, Max and Krum showed up simultaneously. Bagman smiled broadly before speaking up once again.

"Excellent, now that we're all here, can any of you guess what is behind me?"

Everyone remained silent for a second, before Krum grunted, "Maze."

Bagman smiled widely once again, "That is correct. The maze will of course be filled with creatures and all kinds of challenges, and you will enter based on your amount of points. That means that Harry will enter first, followed after eleven minutes by Viktor, who will be followed by Fleur after another sixteen minutes, and finally Max will follow after her by another two minutes."

Harry grinned widely as the other three champions openly showed their displeasure at the large disadvantages they would suffer from.

"When this task was originally planned, none of the judges foresaw that the differences in points would be quite so large," Bagman explained somewhat apologetically before continuing, "Although Harry does have a significant advantage on all of you, and Viktor's lead on both Fleur and Max is substantial as well, but victory can still be attained by all of you. It all depends on how swiftly you manage to traverse the maze."

Everyone was silent for a few seconds, after which Bagman spoke up tentatively, "Unless anyone has any questions, you are free to leave now."

Harry nodded before slowly turning to leave, lingering only long enough to ensure that none of the others would ask any questions that might be relevant to himself.

None of the other champions did though, instead they all left, Delacour for the Beauxbatons' carriage, Krum for the Durmstrang ship, and Max seemed to be going for a visit to Hagrid.

Which meant that all three of them would not be around to see what Harry was planning.

Because with the hedges already grown this high, the maze was probably already in its definite form. Which meant that an hour spent memorizing the shortest path from entry to center, would be time well spent…

With that in mind, Harry was now en route to go fetch himself a broom.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry was currently on his habitual jog around the lake. Cedric Diggory, Draco and Neville were present as well.

The Third Task was only three days away, and Harry was in top shape. He'd never been fitter, physically nor mentally. All the training, all the hard work had born fruit.

This year had been most productive in lots of ways. Harry had been chosen as Triwizard Champion, started a business venture with the Weasley Twins, gotten his very own apprentice, expanded his influence and connections amongst the student body, granted his familiar a far more impressive form, increased both his magical and physical prowess, gained the favour of the public and impressed loads of people both important and average.

_Yes_, Harry thought as he sped up towards the finish line, easily losing Draco and Neville allowing only Cedric to keep up, _this has been a good year._

Cedric won the sprint, reaching the finish before Harry, and the Hufflepuff clearly showed his pleasure.

"Congratulations Cedric." Harry said with a polite smile, before conjuring a towel to dry off.

"You ready for the Third Task Harry?" Cedric asked interestedly, gazing at the younger teen curiously.

"I believe I am. I have a plan and the means to execute it. The only question is whether or not I'll be able to save Krum the trouble of entering the maze." Harry grinned cockily.

Cedric beamed, "You better come through for me Harry, I've got money on you!"

Harry nodded, "I'll give it my very best." He spoke earnestly.

With a wave, Cedric left towards the castle, as he still had classes to go to today.

Harry turned to his other two friends.

"Would either of you be willing to duel me?" Harry inquired politely, smiling innocently.

Neville immediately took a step backward and raised his hands in submission, "No thanks Harry."

Draco however pulled his wand fluidly and bowed to Harry.

Neville backed away further as the Slytherin and the Ravenclaw squared off.

Harry of course wouldn't be allowed to use his elemental abilities. The duel started when Draco lost his patience first and fired off a stream of spells at Harry, who cast a Protego in front of him, and conjured a marble barrier to his right.

The Protego blocked the first few curses, and just as it was about to fail, Harry took a step backwards followed by a step to his right, which got him behind the safety of the marble wall. There, Harry pulled his wand to the ground where he magically dug a hole so deep that he would be able to stand upright, yet be completely invisible from a distance.

Hopping in, Harry created a simple illusion over the hole to make it appear as if the ground hadn't been damaged at all.

Meanwhile, Draco obliterated the marble block that was obscuring Harry's actions from his view.

By the time Draco finally slowed down, two whole minutes had passed. The marble had been obliterated, and Harry was nowhere in sight.

Neville of course knew what was going on, and he had a hard time hiding his grin as Draco started rapidly turning around, fearing that Harry would suddenly pop up behind him.

That didn't happen of course, but it did make Draco grow increasingly paranoid.

Finally, Harry shot out of his manhole, firing a stream of stunners at Draco even as he came flying out of his hiding spot.

Draco managed to deflect Harry's attacks, but he was now firmly on the defensive, and when Harry fired a Reducto to the ground on Draco's right side, the resulting explosion managed to throw the blonde's balance off so much that he was unable to defend himself against Harry any longer, which led to Harry hitting Draco in the chest with a final stunner, knocking Draco out and making Harry sigh disappointedly.

Turning to Neville, Harry spoke up, "He needs to keep his cool better and he should not waste so much energy on destroying my barriers. There's no point in blowing up my shields if I'm not behind them."

With that lesson waiting for Draco to be learned, Harry walked off, trusting Neville to wake Draco up and pass on the advice Harry had given him.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

It was the night before the Third Task, and Harry was watching dispassionately as Rachel was using two whips made of fire to fight off the coyotes Harry had conjured.

As Rachel finished the last coyote by beheading it with a vicious strike, Harry spoke up, "That's it for this year. Your control is good enough to last you the summer. Just remember to do some exercises every three days, preferably every two."

Rachel looked up at Harry curiously, "And what about next year? We'll continue then, right?"

Harry replied indifferently, "We'll see what the situation is like at that point in time and will base any further actions on that."

Rachel nodded before hastily muttering, "Be careful tomorrow," which was followed by a fierce blush.

Harry looked at Rachel with a raised eyebrow, "Pardon?"

Rachel looked up at Harry, still blushing, but she managed to answer jokingly, "Well I'd really hate it if I had to find a new teacher."

Harry's expression softened slightly, "I believe you'd be just fine… Once you'd recovered after burning down the castle from heartbreak." Harry finished in a cocky tone.

"Arrogant arse!" Rachel shouted in aggravation, although she couldn't quite hide her amusement.

"Based on the looks I've been receiving from you, 'Arrogant' wasn't the description I was expecting for my behind." Harry spoke dryly.

Rachel looked rather angry as she shouted, "What?!"

"Well I was expecting something more along the lines of 'fine' or 'sexy' really." Harry spoke dryly, looking at Rachel with a glint of humor in his eyes.

Rachel could only gape incredulously at the ice elemental as he turned on his heels before striding off.

"Have a nice evening Owens, I'll see you later." Harry called cockily over his shoulder as he left a stunned Rachel behind.

_Call it a coincidence, but Rachel's stunned stare stayed remarkably close to Harry's posterior as the young wizard walked away from the fire elemental. Perhaps there was some truth to Harry's fabricated claims after all..._

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><p><strong>And DONE! That is chapter 34, which has brought us all the way to the evening before the Third Task. Are you as excited as I am? Tell me in your reviews! Also leave me any and all other thoughts, and once again thank you for your support. Now that exams are over, I have high hopes that I might start updating at a somewhat regular pace once more. Also, for those of you who like the Marauders Era and feel like having a laugh, consider checking out my other story titled Manic Marauder Madness. Yes, I know that this means I have started ANOTHER story, but I needed a more open outlet for my weird humour. In exchange, HP: Overhaul, has been put on hold.<strong>

**Now, that's all from me, leave me a review or send me a PM and I'll talk to you all later.**

**Bye!**


	35. How the hell are we related?

**Finally! It is here, what you have all been waiting for! CHAPTER 35! Can I get a cheer or a pleased smile or something similar? Thank you. Now then, I apologize for the long wait, but life has this habit of being a dick when it shouldn't be. Other than that, I would of course like to thank everybody who was kind enough to review or follow or favorite or a combination of those three. I don't really have anything to say, remember to give me your opinions if you got some time and I guess that's it for now.**

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><p>The day of the Third Task had come. A Saturday, there were no classes today and the school was abuzz with anticipation.<p>

Harry Potter, currently mostly known as the boy with 3-to-4 odds for the final victory, was enjoying a full English breakfast at the Ravenclaw table.

The full student population was present in the Great Hall, discussing the Third Task whilst glancing at the four Champions spread throughout the hall occasionally.

Each House table had a Champion sat at it. Slytherin had the Durmstrang champion Krum, who was as surly and stoic as always, not exhibiting any kind of stress or pressure.

The Ravenclaw table had Harry Potter himself, the Pride of Hogwarts, as the supporters had now dubbed him, leisurely eating breakfast. Harry was stoic like Krum, although his face was set in a neutral expression instead of Krum's habitual frown.

The Hufflepuff table had Fleur Delacour and the rest of the Beauxbatons' contingent. Originally, they'd been sat at the Ravenclaw table, but that had changed after the selection of the champions, when a furious Delacour had relocated to the Hufflepuff table after her first meeting with Harry. The part-Veela was clearly more stressed then either of the two former Champions, based on the wild bursts of allure she shot out infrequently and unconsciously.

Finally, the Gryffindor table had the Boy-Who-Lived, Max Potter, who was extremely pale and not responding to the questioning of his friends. That was a noteworthy difference between the four Champions as well. Because whereas the three 'official' Champions were allowed to have their breakfast in peace, Max Potter was not, as his friends kept talking to him and kept bugging him to eat. This was obviously having a negative effect, as Max seemed to grow more anxious every passing second, instead of calming down.

Harry was just finishing off his omelet, when he spotted something. Karkaroff was moving for Krum, and Maxime was moving for Fleur. Meanwhile, Albus was talking to Flitwick and McGonagall.

Logical conclusion, Albus couldn't risk talking to his two champions himself as whoever he went to second would be in the position to claim bias.

Which is why he'd send McGonagall and Flitwick simultaneously. And that theory was proven correct, as Flitwick and McGonagall nodded to Dumbledore before moving to their respective Champions.

Harry wiped off his mouth before turning in his seat to face his diminutive Head of House.

Flitwick stopped in front of Harry, giving his pupil a small smile, the man spoke.

"All Champions' families have been invited to keep their respective Champion company today before attending the Third Task tonight." Flitwick explained.

Harry gave a grim smile, "That tradition still exists then?"

Flitwick nodded, "Yes, although the Tournament is far less dangerous than in the past, it was decided to maintain this particular tradition and just adapt the goal slightly. Instead of giving the opportunity to adapt your will and say goodbye to your loved ones, it will now serve a mere motivational function."

Harry nodded, he hadn't been worried, he was just seeking any additional information. If Flitwick hadn't said that the goal of the tradition had been changed, Harry would have known that this Task would pose a far greater danger to the Champions than the first two tasks.

Standing up, Harry followed Flitwick as the tiny professor moved for the door to the room in which the Champions had first gathered after the selection of the champions.

Harry noticed Max and McGonagall moving in ahead of him, and the foreigners had already disappeared out of sight.

If the Dursleys had really come, than this was bound to be interesting, as Harry was fully aware of the … damaged, relationship between the Evans sisters.

Moving into the room, Harry glanced around to take stock of the room. Krum was stood in the far corner with who were probably his parents and a girl in Muggle clothes. Judging from the way she and Krum were holding hands, she may well have been the girlfriend, and a Muggle at that. Which made the Yule Ball more interesting as well, as Krum had obviously been infatuated with his date back then.

Fleur was hugging her younger sister, whilst a beautiful woman and a short, pot-bellied man were stood with them as well.

Max had the extended Potter clan gathered around him, meaning not only James and Lily, but also Sirius and Remus. Lily was fussing over Max whilst the three Marauders were grinning and poking fun at the flushed boy.

Finally, Harry saw Dudley and Vernon. Petunia seemed to be absent. That might have been for the best all things considered.

Moving towards his uncle and cousin, Harry was greeted by Dudley enthusiastically, receiving a backbreaking hug from his stronger cousin. If Harry hadn't had a height advantage over Dud, he might even have been lifted off of the ground.

As it was, Harry was lifted onto the tips of his toes before Dudley showed mercy and released his cousin from his death grip.

"How've you been Harry?" Dudley grinned, looking on in amusement as Harry stood stiffly after his bear hug.

"I've been very well Dudley, and yourself?" Harry answered stiffly, keeping an eye on the Marauders, who were whispering whilst glancing at Vernon and Dudley, something which made Harry distrustful.

"Great. Won my match. I'll be boxing for the title in two weeks, maybe you'll be able to come?" Dudley spoke with a wide grin, obviously proud.

Harry smiled, his cousin had moved up through the ranks and really deserved his title shot.

"Would you like to spar a bit then?" Harry asked curiously, recognizing the eager glint in Dudley's eyes for what it was.

Dudley gave an anticipatory smile before nodding contentedly.

Turning to his uncle, Harry smiled politely, "Hello Uncle Vernon, how have you been? Is Aunt Petunia well?"

Vernon nodded gruffly. The man was obviously uneasy at his surroundings, but for some reason he had still decided to come. Harry was somewhat touched to be honest.

"I'm good, boy. Your aunt is fine, but she preferred staying home as she didn't wish to encounter certain individuals." Vernon spoke gruffly, glancing around uncertainly, clearly not at ease with his surroundings.

Harry nodded understandingly, that was what he'd deduced after all.

"Very well, would you like me to give you a tour of Hogwarts or the grounds? If you wish to go home, that is fine as well, I know that you are not at ease uncle." Harry spoke calmly, keeping an eye on Sirius, who had by this time pulled his wand and seemed to be about to 'prank' Vernon.

"Yes, I thought I'd be able to deal with this, but I am clearly not as at ease with m- magic as I thought yet." Vernon said, looking at Harry with just a spark of gratitude.

"You don't mind if Dudley stays for a while then?" Harry asked, not willing to lose out on the spar he was now looking forward to.

Vernon merely nodded before looking around for a second before moving to speak with McGonagall.

Harry knew that if the Marauders were going to do anything, this would be their moment. And sure enough, Sirius pointed his wand at Vernon's shoes and a near invisible hex flew forth.

Interfering, Harry pulled his own wand and spoke clearly, "Protego."

Everybody reacted to the shield charm, turning around and watching as Harry's shield protected his uncle from a juvenile tripping hex.

Harry turned to Sirius, "Pathetic Black," he spat, "Trying to trip a defenseless man. You know my uncle's a Muggle. Truly pathetic, and that's supposed to be an Auror." Harry finished acerbically.

Sirius flushed as he was subjected to judging and displeased stares from everybody except for the other Potters and Remus.

"Now now, no need to get your knickers in a twist. It was just a joke, all in good fun." Sirius smiled disarmingly, the poster boy of innocence.

That appeased most people, but Harry wasn't willing to let off just yet.

"We both know that was an attempt to humiliate my uncle because of the relationship between my guardians and the Potters, don't be so pathetic as to hide behind a joke." Harry shot back before turning his back on Black, instead opting to turn to Dudley, not paying attention to the glares shot at his back, and not noticing that the lack of action from the remainder of them did not fit in with their behavior during earlier meetings.

"Did you bring your gloves or do you need me to conjure you some?" Harry asked.

Dudley merely grinned before pulling his gloves out of somewhere.

Harry wasn't surprised, he should have known that the main reason Dudley had come was to get a spar in with him.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry and Dudley were wailing on each other. Both had some bruises developing already, and Harry could feel Dudley score a hit on his right shoulder that would develop into a new one.

The boys were sparring on the grounds in a ring Harry had transfigured. They'd been steadily gaining a crowd over the past couple of rounds, and by this point quite a few people were eagerly cheering on either or both boxers.

Dudley was slowly forcing the more agile Harry into a corner by throwing wide hooks every time Harry tried to slip free.

Eventually, Harry got stuck in the corner and he couldn't do anything but take Dudley's punches until the bell would eventually go. Normally they didn't have rounds when they boxed, but Dudley claimed that he needed this to be as close to an official match as possible.

So Harry just had to wait it out until the bell he'd transfigured rang again.

Finally after a torturous half minute, the bell rang and Dudley backed off.

Harry winced as he slowly stretched his tortured arms. They'd caught most of the abuse after all.

Easily cooling down his entire body, the effect was similar to putting ice on all of his bruises.

Dudley was waiting in his corner for the bell. As he didn't have the time to take his gloves off, refresh himself and then put them on again, he had little to do but wait for the next round.

Harry glanced around and spotted quite a few faces. It looked as if most of the school had converged around the ring to watch "Muggle Dueling" as some bigoted purebloods called it.

Harry hid a grin. He spotted all three other champions in the audience along with their families. If he made it look as if this fight had drained him and he managed to take a few more bad-looking but not severe injuries as well, they might well underestimate him during the Third Task.

The bell rang and both boys started moving again. Harry dropped his power, allowing his body to return to normal temperature again, to take away his unfair advantage.

Harry feinted a left before drilling Dudley in the stomach with a low right hook. The bigger boy didn't even blink. Instead opting to take Harry's strike in order to step in so his more nimble cousin wouldn't be able to evade Dudley's shorter reach.

Dudley went for a simple combination, which to his surprise, Harry didn't block. Instead, Harry started hammering into Dudley as hard and as fast as he could.

His cousin reciprocated and the boys started exchanging barrages of punches, no longer bothering with such things as dodging or blocking.

Although Dudley had the strength advantage, Harry was no wimp either, being a Chaser and following a demanding training schedule. The spectators got to watch as both young men threw punches at each other that would have easily leveled most wizards if only a single one connected.

The entire round passed and when the bell rang, both combatants were relieved to be able to step back and sag into their corners. The crowd was going wild, and judging from the noise the entire school had gathered there by now, foreigners included.

Glancing around, Harry spotted Draco and Neville bantering with each other, a significant part of the girls looking very interested in both himself and Dudley, as their torsos were bare and they were both physically fit, Madam Pomfrey being restrained by the combined forces of Minerva McGonagall and Pomona Sprout, the Twins were clearly going around taking wagers, judging from their subtle (successful) attempts at staying out of Snape's line of sight, Cedric was sat with some of his year mates whilst cheering enthusiastically, Max and Ron were cheering along raucously, Max' visitors were absent for some reason, whilst Hermione and Rachel were both flushed slightly whilst glancing between Dudley and Harry.

Finding that last tidbit amusing, Harry waited until Rachel looked at him again before lifting a curious eyebrow and grinning cockily at the girl. She flushed deeply before glaring angrily at him.

Still grinning, Harry turned around at the sound of the bell only to be met with the sight of a rapidly approaching Dudley.

Ducking under Dud's wild right hook, Harry saw his opportunity as he came back up with a mighty uppercut to his cousin's chin.

Dudley's head shot backwards, and he dropped down quite comically, not crumbling but falling backwards as if struck by a Petrificus, yet with his arms sprawled wide and his tongue by this point lolling out.

As his cousin hit the floor with a bang, Harry slowly massaged his shoulder, trying to get out the wonky feeling he got from his strongest hit ever.

Out of the bell a voice came that started counting to ten. Dudley didn't attempt to get up, instead groaning and trying to stop the earth from spinning around him.

As Harry moved to help his cousin up, he noticed the loud cheers he got from the audience and the boos from those who'd been hoping for a Dudley win.

Dudley'd shook off the worst by the time Harry got him back onto two feet, after which they threw an arm over each other's shoulders and Harry led them to Pomfrey, who immediately started directing them to the hospital wing.

Harry forgot to take down the ring, and a rapidly appointed student delegation was currently negotiating with their professors in an attempt to allow a few other matches to take place.

Although even seventh years gulped fearfully when Vincent Crabbe showed his intent to box by moving for the ring, transfigured gloves already on his hands.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

"Harry! Harry! Harry! Harry!"

"Krum!" *Two stomps on the wooden stands* "Krum!" *Two stomps*

"De-la-cour! De-la-cour! De-la-cour!"

"More More Gryffindor! More More Gryffindor!"

Harry was steadily getting more and more annoyed with the incredible amount of noise the crowd was making. The task hadn't started yet, but that didn't seem to deter any of the students.

His fellow competitors were all busying themselves in their own ways. Delacour was obviously attempting to seduce both himself and Krum with her allure in an attempt to destabilize them before the Task would start. Max was anxiously hopping from foot to foot, continuously murmuring the same seven spells under his breath.

Harry had forcefully suppressed a snort when he'd first heard Max do this. If his twin honestly thought he could get through this task with his aces being the common Stunner and the basic blasting curse Reducto, either Harry had vastly overestimated the task or Max wouldn't make it through.

The Durmstrang Champion was calm, he sat on a bench where he was calmly reading a magazine on broom maintenance. Harry would freely admit that Krum was being very good at hiding his true feelings and intent.

Finally, Harry himself was occupying himself by laboriously examining his exaggerated injuries. Judging from Krum's periodic glances, Harry was being very successful in his plan to portray a false weakness. Pomfrey had fixed him up in a jiffy, but his competitors didn't know that. If they thought he was hiding a body riddled by bruises under his clothes, then that was fine by him.

It might even score him pity points with Delacour, who was _still _shooting out bursts of allure, up to the point where Harry was getting extremely aroused. He could resist the allure in that he wasn't going gaga over every Veela he saw, but the more general effect of arousal was still very much something Harry suffered from.

Eventually, Bagman showed up and he gathered the champions around him.

"Now then, when you hear the cannon shot, the Third Task officially starts. Which means that you, Harry, are allowed to enter the maze at that point. Viktor will follow at the second cannon shot, followed by Fleur and Max." Bagman explained before glancing around to see if there were any questions.

The screens were placed so that the champions themselves couldn't watch the action on any of them, which meant that his opponents wouldn't get the unfair advantage of seeing Harry face challenges they themselves might eventually encounter.

Harry moved for the starting line, from which he would be allowed to enter the maze, before glancing at the cannon, Filch positioned next to it.

He had his route memorized and his wand at the ready. As long as he was capable to defeat any obstacles he encountered in a decent time, his fellow competitors wouldn't stand a chance and some of them might not even get to enter the Maze. He did have a very comfortable lead after all.

Focusing, Harry stopped listening to the crowd, instead focusing on breathing slowly and deeply. This was what an entire school year of work had been meant for. The first true test of his abilities. Today he would show the entire Wizarding World what Harry Potter could do.

"BOOM!" The starting signal was given and Harry immediately started jogging, wand in hand and attention fully focused on the route he needed to take.

Harry jogged up to the first intersection, where the road split into a left path and a right path. Grinning, Harry took a moment to transfigure the hedges on either side of the left path. Now the opening to the left path was gone, and more hedges were in its place. Non-enchanted and easily destroyed of course, but his opponents didn't know that there was supposed to be a path there so they might not find out about it.

Moving up the right path, Harry paused before turning back and transfiguring more hedges. Now his opponents would face a dead end without knowing which pieces of the hedge were enchanted and which parts weren't.

Content with his clever delaying tactic, Harry jogged forward, knowing that he would have to ignore the intersection he was running up to, after which he would have to go left. As long as the cup was placed in the middle of the maze, as seemed logical based on Harry's earlier, top-secret scouting, he would get there in no time.

Harry's plans for a quick jog to victory were delayed when he made a right turn though. His path was blocked by a griffin.

The beast was almost as wide as the path in which it stood, only leaving about half a foot between its sides and the hedges on either side.

Slowly moving forwards with his wand at the ready, Harry waited for the griffin to make the first move.

It looked at harry pensively for a second before letting out a loud screech.

Taking that warning for what it was, Harry took a step back, instead conjuring two pebbles which he levitated to either side of the griffin whilst still backing away.

The mighty creature paid no attention to the two pebbles Harry was positioning next to it, instead watching with its hawkish gaze as Harry kept slowly backing away.

As his pebbles were positioned on either side of the griffin, Harry allowed himself to grin slightly before waving his wand in a complicated pattern. Immediately, the pebbles changed into heavy steel bars whilst numerous steel chains sprouted from both bars and connected above the griffin.

Just as the beast understood the peril it was in, Harry yanked his wand downwards and the chains fell down on the griffin, pinning it to the ground with their sheer weight.

Harry grinned proudly as the griffin tried to stand up only to fail as the chains were too heavy.

A flick of his wrist and Harry was wielding a fire whip which was connected to the tip of his wand.

Although it took a ridiculous amount of effort for Harry to do advanced fire spells, this one he could manage because it focused on finesse instead of on power. The greater fire spells would always remain a weakness of Harry, but that didn't matter right now.

Walking forward with his fire whip trailing behind him, Harry watched cautiously if the griffin was going to continue posing a problem.

It kept trying to wrestle free of the heavy chains that pinned it, and when Harry got closer it snapped at him threateningly.

Frowning, Harry whipped his wand forward, allowing the fire whip to curl around the griffin's neck. The griffin cried out in pain as Harry's whip burned off its feathers and started causing severe flesh burns.

Moving forward whilst maintaining his whip, Harry sped up, hurrying past the griffin so he could release it from his whip.

Once past his first obstacle, Harry undid his whip and he weakened the chains that were pinning the griffin. It should be able to wrestle free in another minute or two.

Moving onward, Harry could hear the cannon being fired. So, Krum had entered. Harry was about halfway to where he expected the cup to be.

Deciding that he needed to move faster, Harry had an idea.

Transfiguring his shoes into ice-skates Harry aimed his wand at the ground in front of him before casting his spell whilst enunciating clearly. He'd used an actual spell, so people wouldn't know that he barely put any power into it and instead enhanced the weak spell with his control over his element.

In front of Harry, the crowd was immediately covered with a layer of ice about an inch thick.

Stepping onto the ice, Harry rapidly sped up, skating through the Third Task. Keeping his wand pulled, Harry faked continuing the spell whilst secretly dropping the spell and conjuring the advancing ice with a mere thought.

Taking a sharp left, Harry spotted an Acromantula ahead of him.

Grinning, Harry conjured a ramp out of ice ten feet in front of the spider before pointing his wand behind him.

"Porposo!"

With a blast of pressure, Harry sped up immensely, flying up the ramp and over the surprised giant spider.

"Secta!" Harry shouted as he hung above the spider in mid-air.

The horrifying cutting charm left Harry's wand and cut off all of the beast's right legs.

Harry landed on another conjured ramp before skating on, leaving the mutilated Acromantula behind.

Two more turns and then a straight path of about a hundred feet and he'd have made it to pedestal on which the Cup should be standing.

Making the second-to-last turn, Harry was unpleasantly surprised when he came face to face with… Himself?

Seeing his body double pull a wand, Harry immediately braked before retransfiguring his skates into his shoes. Another wave and the layer of ice that coated the ground around him was gone as well.

"And who are you supposed to be?" Harry asked his copy as he slowly got closer, until he and his clone were twenty feet apart.

"I am a Pro Dueling Simulacrum from Dueling Wares, located on Diagon Alley 17, now with five percent off on all items for a limited time only. My purpose is to serve as a training device for Duelists of all levels. My current setting is: 'Equal', this setting means that my skill is equal to that of my opponent. Lethality setting is: 'To the Death', this means I will utilize my full array of spells and shall show no mercy." A robotic voice came from the simulacrum, making Harry frown.

A duel with himself? This might cause a very lengthy delay. For once, Harry was unhappy with his substantial skills. Because this meant the simulacrum would supposedly have substantial skills as well. And what was up with the blatant advertising?

Wasting no more time or words, Harry started the duel by firing a five spell chain consisting of four medium cutters and a bludgeoner. This was immediately followed by a conjured cheetah.

Clone created a dueling shield behind which he weathered Harry's chain before taking out the cheetah with an incredible wall of flames.

The firewall incinerated Harry's chanceless cheetah and would easily kill Harry himself as well unless he did something.

A wave of his wand and a tsunami sprung from Harry's wand to counter the wall of flames he himself never would've managed.

As water and flame clashed, Harry thought hurriedly about his situation. He would never have managed a flame spell of such a magnitude. This was good, for it meant the simulacrum couldn't possibly simulate his elemental ability. That in mind, Harry was faced with another problem. How to take out his opponent without showing his ability to the crowd?

Then Harry had another idea. A wave of his wand and the entire path in which both Harry and his opponent were stood changed into water.

Both Harry's immediately sank, and Harry took his advantage.

Rocketing forward under water where the crowd wouldn't be able to notice that Harry was moving at impossible speeds, Harry flew out of the water like a torpedo, body-checking the simulacrum, who'd just surfaced by conjuring a tiny island in the middle of the small lake Harry had created.

As the Harry's went flying, Harry jammed two of his fingers into the simulacrum's eyes, and although horrified by the fact that the simulacrum felt 100% human, Harry ignored this, gouging out the simulacrum's eyes before they crashed into the water together.

His opponent was struggling wildly under water, but now blind, it wasn't putting up an effective defense. Harry kicked his clone away before firing a conjured spear at its head.

The blinded clone never saw it coming.

Harry grinned proudly as his dead foe sank to the bottom.

Coming up above the water again, Harry used an Aguamenti to propel himself further, towards the area where his transfiguration ended and he was able to climb up on dry land again.

Running on, nobody noticed that Harry didn't use a drying spell, yet he was completely dry the second he came out of the water.

Opting not to skate again, as the previous confrontation showed him that his response time was not optimal when doing this, Harry just jogged on.

A loud bang sounded, followed by Bagman's voice, "And with that all the Champions are in the Maze. Who will become the Triwizard Champion?"

Harry frowned, all Champions? He must have missed one cannon shot whilst under water.

Making the final turn, Harry was met by a Sphinx. Another obstacle already? Surprising but not a problem, a Sphinx was no more challenging than entering the Ravenclaw Common Room.

"Four men stand back to back. They form a small square, all of them are looking Northward, how can this be?" The Sphinx asked in its mystic tone.

Harry lifted a surprised eyebrow, he'd expected a longer riddle, "They're standing on the South Pole."

The Sphinx gave a pleased nod before moving aside and lying down. Jogging past the Sphinx, Harry was alerted only by the roar the Sphinx suddenly gave. Instinctively diving to the left, Harry let out a pained scream as he could feel something rend his right leg.

Scrambling to stand up, his wand raised protectively, Harry looked on in surprise as the Sphinx charged him. What was it doing!? He'd answered the blasted riddle hadn't he?!

Conjuring a marble wall between him and the Sphinx, Harry listened in satisfaction as he could hear the Sphinx crash against it.

Immediately, Harry let the wall fall forward, hoping to crush the Sphinx beneath it.

Harry's plan worked marvelously as the dazed Sphinx wasn't able to prevent death in the form of a heavy marble wall crushing it.

Jumping onto the wall, Harry ran on, ignoring the fact that he'd just killed a rare and normally peaceful magical creature.

He could see the pedestal on which he'd expected the Cup to be, but it was empty!

Harry ran on and arrived into the clearing which had clearly been intended to hold the Triwizard Cup.

"What the?" Harry said incredulously as the Cup was nowhere to be found.

So much for his plan. Now what? This pedestal had clearly been meant to hold the Cup, it was obvious that this clearing and that pedestal had been intended to hold the Cup, so why wasn't it there!?

Calming down, Harry thought for a second before deciding to try his shameless plan B.

Pointing his wand at the ground, Harry spoke the spell Flitwick had taught him at the end of first year.

"Porposo!"

Harry was pushed up into the air, from where he started to scan the maze for any other likely locations in which the Cup might be placed.

To his frustration, Harry spotted no Cup. Deciding that if he was going to take longer than planned, he might as well go and take care of the competition first, Harry hovered over towards a pathway from which he could see multiple bright flashes of light.

Hovering over the path in question, Harry saw Fleur Delacour fire spells desperately at a troll.

Amused by the girl's lack of success, Harry decided he might as well take this opportunity to take out an opponent. Touching down behind the oblivious part-Veela, Harry stunned her from behind before aiming his wand at the troll's head.

"Sagitta! Sagitta! Sagitta! Sagitta! Sagitta!" Harry intoned, firing a hail of arrows at the troll's head.

As planned, one of his arrows found a weak spot in the troll's skull and perforated its brain. It fell dead where it stood.

Casting another Porposo, Harry was soon scouring the maze from above for a sign of either the Cup, or one of his opponents.

Then Harry got a very unpleasant surprise.

He saw the Cup. It was on the far side of the path he was currently hovering above, but Max had spotted it as well and his twin was running towards it as fast as he could.

Harry couldn't possibly catch up to his brother.

Touching down running, Harry broke into a sprint, his brother thirty feet ahead of him and the cup a hundred feet from Max.

Harry was catching up, but he wasn't going to make it. He didn't have the time conjure skates and get up to speed and he couldn't think of anything else that might help him speed up.

Fortunately, that didn't mean he couldn't slow Max down. Firing a bludgeoner at his twin's back, Harry sighed in relief as Max was thrown to the ground a few feet from the Cup.

A quick Expelliarmus and Max was disarmed. Harry advanced rapidly, striding towards the cup, firmly keeping an eye on Max, who was moaning in pain on the ground. Either he had a disappointingly average pain threshold, or he was faking.

Moving past his brother, Harry stood in front of the Cup.

Finally, after the unexpected events that started with the cup not being on the pedestal, Harry would finally raise the cup and be crowned Triwizard Champion.

He raised his hand to grab the Cup, when he heard the shout, "Noooo!"

Max tackled Harry from behind like an American Football pro, and it was only through quickness of mind that Harry grabbed on to the Cup before he was pushed out of reach. After all, Max could tackle him as much as he wanted, it was whoever touched the Cup, that became the Champion.

Harry felt a pull behind his navel and realized the Cup was a Portkey, which was already taking longer than necessary to drop him anywhere remotely near Hogwarts.

Touching down on ground, Harry was thrown to the ground from the sack of dead weight clinging on to him that was Max Potter.

Harry tried to scramble upright, but the buffoon wouldn't let go of him, and appeared to have been knocked out.

Reaching for his wand hurriedly, Harry saw a red flash of light, and knew no more.

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><p><strong>I'm sorry! I know it's technically a cliffie and I really am sorry, but there's nothing to it. This was the only correct point to cut off the chapter. I understand that most people cut their chapters at the Cup = Portkey bit, but there really was no other fitting point to do it<strong>. **Give me your thoughts and reviews and all that other fun stuff, and I hope you liked it. Another thing I've noticed is that this point, the Cup = Portkey bit, is a part where a lot of stories suddenly die. I promise you that this story will continue, although I cannot give any promises as for when that may be.**


	36. I lost ten pounds in one second!

**Here it is! Chapter 36. I'm pretty pleased with this one and eagerly await your comments, messages and reviews. Thank you for following, favoriting, reviewing and of course most importantly reading. Please enjoy.**

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><p>With a soft groan, Harry regained consciousness.<p>

His head was throbbing and his arm was burning. What the bloody hell happened?

Slowly opening his eyes, Harry wished he hadn't, as the sight that met him was unpleasant to say the least.

Harry himself was tied spread-eagle against what appeared to be a big statue of some kind. His arms and legs were tied against the statue, leaving his head and chest free. Max was apparently in a similar predicament, tied to a statue to Harry's right.

A large cut in his right arm was leaking blood, and it hurt quite a bit, something which didn't improve the situation at all.

What was most unsettling though, was what was right in front of him.

Next to the man who unsettled Harry, was Wormtail. The traitor appeared to be missing his entire right arm, and looked rather pale from blood loss.

Coming to an unpleasant conclusion, Harry looked at whom he expected to be Voldemort.

The Dark Lord was about six feet two, with a lean yet powerful build, although it was hard to make any specific calls as he wore classy, loose black robes. Voldemort didn't actually look that scary, a pale but not unhealthy skin tone, a full head of black hair, normal facial structure. All in all, Harry ventured Voldemort could be called handsome.

Only two things made this man unique, the first were his eyes. They were pure red. No pupils, no nothing, just completely red. The other thing was his magic. He had so much power! Harry could feel it lurking beneath the surface, a barely restrained pool of magic of incredible power.

Voldemort was staring intently at Harry, and Harry knew he was in mortal danger right now. Damn that blithering idiot for tackling him!

Looking over at said blithering idiot, Harry noticed Max appeared to still be unconscious. Returning his gaze to Voldemort, Harry was treated to the sight of Pettigrew falling to the ground next to his lord, unconscious.

Voldemort looked to stare down at his servant in disgust. Just as Harry tried to take his opportunity, to free himself by slicing his bonds with some ice or so, Voldemort looked up and carelessly waved his wand at both twins.

Harry immediately noticed he'd lost all movement from the neck down. He could still look around and talk and all that, but his body was paralyzed. There went his plan! Freeing himself would be no use if he couldn't move once he was free!

He could've subtly used a tendril of water to grab his wand out of his holster and put it in his hand, but his wand was missing!

Resigning himself to waiting for an opportunity, Harry looked up to see Voldemort waving his wand over Wormtail's armless side in carefully calculated and measured movements.

Harry watched on incredulously as a new arm sprouted out of Wormtail's torso, made entirely of silver, with runes hewn into it.

Waking his servant with a careless wave, Harry watched as Voldemort returned his attention to Harry and Max.

The Dark Lord seemed annoyed by Max, who was still unconscious.

Voldemort aimed his wand at Max before hissing, "Crucio."

The dark red spell flew at Max and struck him in his chest, waking the boy up and making him scream in agony immediately. The evil sorcerer released the spell after just a nanosecond, and spoke in a pleased tone, "Ah, you're awake."

Max looked around frantically, in complete panic.

Voldemort nodded at his servant, who stepped forward, still caressing his new arm.

"I am sure you both are wondering how you ended up here." The rat spoke up in a confident voice, something which surprised Harry very much, as Wormtail was supposed to be a coward.

"As you should have figured out by now, the Triwizard Cup was a Portkey, modified by our Lord's redeemed servant to bring you here. You see our Lord has been looking forward to facing you for a long time." Wormtail continued, annoying Harry quite a bit with his idiotic speech.

"Since the start of this Tournament, our Lord has been watching, manipulating so that the Boy-Who-Lived would end up in his hands. It was very much a surprise when the other Potter was chosen as the _true_ Hogwarts champion. Imagine our Lord's displeasure when Max failed to live up to our expectations, whilst the Ravenclaw Potter was defeating his opposition with humiliating ease!" Wormtail continued, now amusing Harry a bit as it was fun to see how wound up Max was getting over what he took to be insults.

"Then Dumbledore showed up with _you,_" Wormtail spat at Harry, "at Crouch Castle, attacking our Lord whilst he was weakened, and capturing Crouch Senior. You then found out about our Lord's servant and captured him. It appeared as if my Lord's plans had been foiled. But our Lord's brilliance showed itself as he reached out to his now redeemed servant, and he added a destination to the Cup's Portkey spell, so that it would come here first!"

"He was instructed to ensure that Max would come here, and to take out the other Champions if possible. Again, we hadn't counted on Harry somehow reaching the Cup first, but that turned out to be for the better!" Wormtail ranted, growing more and more manic, and Harry could see his arm exude a slight silver aura. Was it influencing Wormtail?

"I stunned Harry, and the Boy-Who-Lived was already unconscious. I bound you, and did the ritual that returned my Lord to a more worthy body, using the skeleton of his father, the flesh of my arm, and the blood of his enemies. As you can see, it proved successful, and our Lord has returned to power." Wormtail finally finished, and Harry thought over what he had learned.

Then, Voldemort hissed, "Wormtail, your arm."

With a deep bow, Wormtail offered his branded arm to the Dark Lord.

Voldemort touched his wand to Pettigrew's arm, and Harry could only watch, powerless to stop him as the Death Eaters were summoned.

"Now… we shall see, who remember their allegiance…" Voldemort spoke, as Pettigrew took a step back.

Then, accompanied by the typical sound, people started to Apparate in.

Robed completely in black, wearing their white masks, not making a sound, the Death Eaters had returned.

Voldemort's followers started forming a crude circle, leaving quite a few places open.

Harry could only watch as Voldemort examined his troops pensively. After a while, the Dark Lord spoke, "Yes… I believe all have come."

Moving, Riddle walked around the circle whilst commenting on who did or did not stand in front of him.

"Rookwood, Nott, Crabbe, Mulciber, good. Very good." Voldemort commented, giving the four men who stood side by side a small nod. They seemed to sag in relief at their Lord's words.

"Here stood two who gave their lives for the cause, they shall be remembered." Voldemort spoke as he moved past an empty spot in the circle.

"Macnair, we shall give that axe of yours some more fitting necks to cleave." Voldemort observed as he passed by a group of five, with Macnair apparently the only one worthy of being addressed.

"Here stood four who remain loyal even now, and who searched for me when I disappeared. They were imprisoned and suffer for their loyalty to this day. They shall be rewarded." Voldemort said with something odd in his tone, he looked almost… fond, as he moved past one open spot in particular.

"Ah… Lucius…" The Dark Lord spoke to one of his final followers, after he'd been around almost the entire circle.

"My Lord," The Malfoy patriarch observed as he bowed deeply before Voldemort.

"You dare return Lucius? After all, I am rather sure you are not under Imperius right now." Voldemort spoke carelessly, as if what he said was nothing special.

Harry was rather amused, Voldemort was clearly a skilled orator.

"My Lord, we never gave up hope! Had there been any sign of your continued power, I would have searched for you until death!" Malfoy spoke in a minor panic, now sinking fully onto his knees, as if he was praying and Voldemort was his god.

"Yet, you didn't search for me Lucius. You forsook me, you betrayed me. When came your opportunity, like a small little garden snake, you wormed your way to freedom and never looked back to me, your Lord." Voldemort spoke, now clearly more threatening, making Lucius shiver in fear using only his voice.

"My Lord, please, mercy, I am your faithful servant, I never gave up the cause!" Lucius said fearfully.

"You will be punished Lucius, but I grant you your life. You may return to the circle." Voldemort spoke before moving on. He came to rest in front of one final person, who had an open spot on one side, and Wormtail on the other.

"My redeemed servant, you performed admirably, even if you came close to failure, tell me, how is the situation at Hogwarts?" Riddle hissed in his sibilant tones.

"My Lord, the Fiendfyre I set free on the Forbidden Forest had yet to be tamed when I left, and the Acromantulas who were fleeing the forest were getting involved into a mayor battle with the wizards. Dumbledore is aware that the Portkey was modified, but he is occupied saving his school and the grounds." Karkaroff's voice sounded smugly from under his mask.

"And my other servant?" Voldemort asked emotionlessly.

"He was following Dumbledore's orders and aiding in fighting the fire. There is no way he could have heeded your call unnoticed. I was unable to find where his loyalties are, my Lord." Karkaroff spoke, bowing for Voldemort.

"Very well Igor, you have redeemed yourself, and I shall not punish you for your betrayal after my temporary loss of power." Voldemort spoke, before moving to the middle of the circle.

"As you can see, I have returned to power, and am now stronger than ever before. You all managed to stay out of prison, and we shall free those who did not soon enough. Wormtail has told me about what has happened to our World since my apparent defeat. He was the only one to seek me out, and he aided me in returning to a worthy form. For that, I have rewarded him, and he shall be rewarded further."

"Apparently, the public believes me to have died that night, and books have been written about the next Merlin, the embodiment of Magic, the Chosen One, the Light's Child, the Prodigy of Purity, Max Potter." Voldemort hissed, getting boos and shouts from his adoring crowd.

The Dark Lord nodded sagely, "Indeed, as you can see clearly, those are falsehoods. The Potter Twins were protected by ancient magic, the magic of love. I have found out the truth since that night, and now know how these unremarkable children managed to survive the Killing Curse."

"Max and Harry Potter were born conjoined, which in and of itself is always an oddity, yet this case was unseen as the brothers are not identical twins. Their heads were attached to each other at birth, and magic enforced that bond, binding their magic, their very souls to each other. They were of course immediately separated in a simple procedure, but just because they were separated physically, that did not mean their deeper bond was separated." Voldemort narrated, his Death Eaters listening on in total silence, entranced by Voldemort's story.

"When I tried to use the Killing Curse on Max Potter, the bond that both brothers shared protected him." Voldemort monologue, pausing to allow for his Death Eaters' shocked gasps. Harry noticed Max looked as if he'd been hit by a bludger in the nuts during breakfast, in a perfect mixture of shock and pain.

"Neither brother could live without the other due to their bond. Because of this, their bond defended Max against my Killing Curse and fired it back at me. This weakened the bond to such a level that when as Wormtail tells me, the brothers were separated, it died completely. Therefore, at this point, these boys are nothing special. I took their blood to take away the last remaining remnants of the protection they unwittingly created that night." Voldemort finished his riveting tale, and it was as if he had ended a trance, as the Death Eaters slowly started moving again, though none spoke up.

Max on the other hand looked as if the world had been taken out from under his feet. Understandable, as he'd been deluding himself for years that he had somehow beaten Voldemort with unprecedented magic at age one, when it turned out that it was only the fact that he had a twin that had been his saving grace.

Harry himself was rather calm. He was busily theorizing, and he thought he might've finally found an explanation for his honestly exceptional magical ability. What if the dying remnants of his bond to Max, had somehow morphed into his elemental ability? Maybe the bond, which clearly had the primary goal of protecting him, had sensed his need for power whilst growing up with the Dursleys, and magic had decided to help out?

Finally, Voldemort spoke again, "Now, before I kill the Boy-Who-Lived, and forever end all doubt that there is anybody who can oppose me, I have an offer to make."

Turning to Harry, the Dark Lord spoke, "Igor and Junior have both praised your skill and ability multiple times during the past school year Mr. Potter, and Wormtail told me that you were the one to capture him." Voldemort spoke entrancingly, Harry was surprised the man hadn't gotten bored of the sound of his own voice yet.

"Your family betrayed you for your famous brother, you were raised with Muggles, and nobody ever rose up to defend you. I offer you the chance to become one of my Death Eaters, an incredible honour for one with blood such as yours. What do you say, Harry?" Voldemort said, ignoring the renewed muttering and whispering of his Death Eaters.

Harry wasn't even all that surprised. With the information Voldemort had, it was at least semi-logical to offer Harry a spot amongst his ranks. Of course, the fact that Harry had faced Voldemort at Dumbledore's side before, and that he'd saved Max from Junior made it somewhat unlikely that Harry would accept, but it was still a sensible offer. Knowing that Harry was the greatest Hogwartian of his generation, his conversion would be a huge victory for Voldemort.

"Ah yes well," Harry started after thinking just how he should compose his reply for a few seconds, "although I must admit that your offer is certainly tempting, I fear you are about eight years too late. I don't particularly care about the purity topic all that much you see, although if all Muggles were gone or subjugated, the Statute of Secrecy would be gone, which would be a definite plus."

"There aren't any Muggleborns I'd miss all that much, which is also a point in your favour, and I really don't like my direct biological family, and they are of course firmly entrenched in the Light." Harry mused, and although hard to see, it seemed as if Voldemort wasn't at all displeased about how Harry's summary was going.

"But," Harry said in a dramatic tone, showing off his own oratory skills, "I'm pretty close with Dumbledore, because you can say what you will about the old geezer, he's still a great wizard and a pretty funny guy. And I live with my Muggle Aunt, Uncle and cousin, and I'm pretty fond of them as well…"

Voldemort seemed to evaluate Harry, as the young prodigy fell silent.

"I will make some minor… _concessions,_ for you, Harry," Voldemort spoke, quite like Harry had been hoping.

"Your Muggle family will be spared, on the condition that none of them procreate and you keep them on your estate, that being the Potter grounds, which you will gain for your service. The Potters will be yours to kill, except for young Max here of course." Voldemort proposed, closely watching Harry, yet for some reason not yet using Legillimency on him.

This was perfect for Harry, who had now developed an escape plan with a somewhat acceptable probability of success. Now he was just preparing his Occlumency, so that when Voldemort inevitably attacked, Harry would be able to show him exactly what he wanted to show him.

"My Lord," Harry started, getting a horrified gasp from Max, a triumphant half-smile from Voldemort, and victorious cheers from the Death Eaters, "you are very wise. I will of course accept your generous proposal. Yet if I may be so bold, I have still one request," Harry said, head now bowed subserviently, voice hopeful and attitude subservient.

"Please, my Lord, before you execute my _brother_," Harry spat the last word, "will you allow me to torture him? I beg of you, my Lord, to let me have my revenge on the swine that is the reason for suffering the years of abuse I suffered in my youth." Harry spoke, and he knew from the gasps from the Death Eaters, that his request might have been too bold after all.

Harry kept his head down, which is why he couldn't see Voldemort tense in anger. But the Dark Lord controlled himself, and if he punished Harry now, like he wanted to, odds were that the boy would rather die than serve him after all. Voldemort was no fool, Harry Potter was far more useful to him as a servant than as a carcass.

"Very well," The Dark Lord spoke therefore, "but if you ever dare make such an impetuous request again, you will be punished. However, I understand your desire for revenge, Harry, so I will grant your request."

Harry's bonds vanished and his paralysis disappeared as Wormtail stepped forward, his wand in Harry's hand.

Just as Harry reached out to take his wand from Wormtail, Voldemort struck.

A Legillimency probe of incredible power rammed into Harry's mind, and the young wizard immediately fell to his knees in pain.

Harry's instinctive reaction of slamming up his shields gave him just enough time to restore the false layer he'd placed in his mind.

Voldemort swatted aside Harry's meager shields, although Harry noticed the Dark Lord's surprise that Harry could construct any shields at all.

Harry could feel Voldemort easily enter the 'room' in his mind Harry had so hastily created whilst still stuck against the statue.

The 'room' was the Ravenclaw Common Room. Harry had specifically created it apart from his true mindscape, which resembled Hogwarts and its grounds, specifically to serve as a fake mindscape for attacks such as this one, when he wanted to convince an attacker of falsehoods.

In this case, the mindscape had been filled with fake or misleading memories, the memory of being left behind on the Dursleys' doorstep, a fake memory Harry had created where he was gazing enviously as Lily and James congratulated Max for his performance during the Second Task, the Weighing of the Wands, with Sirius and James accusing Harry of being Dark, a modified version of the fight with Rick, where Harry'd broken the boy's arm and spat him in the face whilst the fight was taking place at a party with Harry as the instigator, things like that.

Each memory was triggered by touching an object, and Voldemort activated a few memories, touching a book here, and a portrait there. When after five minutes, which was about half a second in the real world, the Dark Lord was still examining Harry's mindscape whilst continuing to browse memories, Harry decided to act.

Visualizing himself in his mind, Harry appeared in a chair by the fire.

Standing up, Harry moved to the Dark Lord before kneeling, "My Lord, might I assist you?"

Voldemort turned to look down at Harry imperiously, "Tell me, how long have you been a practitioner of the Mind Arts, Harry?" The wizard hissed in a tone that married curiosity with distrust.

"Since the beginning of this school year, milord. I was planning on making it a yearlong project, but with the Tournament, progress has been slower than I would have liked." Harry spoke hastily.

The Dark Lord appeared to find this acceptable, and then he asked, "What are you hiding from me?"

As Harry tried to speak, one of the books in the bookcase next to the fire moved to stick out of the bookcase whilst lighting up.

Voldemort had asked his question to make Harry think of something, and as a response, the memory he'd thought of had reacted, that memory being stored inside the book in question.

Harry was fortunate Voldemort hadn't yet thought to move past the Common Room, for had the Dark Lord asked this question in Harry's dormitory, Harry's bed would have lit up, it being the connection, the portal even, to Harry's real mindscape.

As it was, Voldemort only noticed the glowing book, and with a few quick strides, he reached out to touch it.

Harry was sucked into his modified memory of the ritual he'd used to turn Hedwig into her higher form.

In this version of the memory, Fawkes didn't play a role, and nobody was present for it as it took place deep in the Forbidden Forest, beyond Hogwarts' wards so that not even Dumbledore would know.

It also used virgin's blood and the sacrificial burning of a living eagle.

This appeared to convince Voldemort that Harry truly was willing to follow him, because when the memory ended, and both wizards reappeared in Harry's fake mindscape, the Dark Lord seemed rather pleased.

"Very impressive, you will do well in my ranks, Harry." Voldemort spoke in a pleased voice.

Harry had thought Riddle would leave his mind after that, but the older wizard instead paced to touch one of the walls of the room, before touching it lightly with the tip of his wand. A black mark appeared where the wall had been touched, and Harry quild feel the vileness oozing from it.

With that, the Dark Lord left Harry's mindscape and Harry followed, relieved yet slightly puzzled as he returned to find Voldemort cancelling his Legillimency probe.

Harry regained his footing before taking his wand from Wormtail.

With a bow, Harry went to stand in front of Max, but not before carefully taking in the positions of Voldemort, his Death Eaters, and the Cup. Harry took special care to watch Pettigrew and Karkaroff.

Taking aim, Harry was just about to throw his first curse when Max shouted, "Traitor! I knew you were Dark scum! You filthy Dark wizard! Mom and Dad should have killed you in your sleep instead of dumping you with the Muggles!" The red-haired Potter then tried to literally spit at his twin, but the phlegm fell a few inches short of Harry's feet.

Now actually angry, Harry took a few aggressive steps forward before casting a quick charm at Max.

Suddenly, Max was stood in only his underpants, his slightly chubby body revealed to the laughing and cheering Death Eaters, who acted as if they were watching a soccer match.

A mere thought, and the tip of Harry's wand was glowing an ominous dark purple.

Putting his wand against Max's chest, Harry drew his wand down sharply, getting a pained scream from Max and wild cheers from the Death Eaters. Where Harry's wand had travelled, a deep yet thin cut appeared on Max' flesh.

Continuing his macabre drawing, Harry grinned maliciously at Max' pained screams. Harry finished his drawing before stepping back, Max' chest and stomach now sporting a large, narrow lightning bolt which was leaking blood.

Harry then healed his own wounded arm with a few careful spells, sneaking in a small clotting spell at Max, to slow down the bleeding and make the wound stop bleeding faster as well. Harry had been careful not to penetrate the skin during his cutting, so Max wasn't all that bad off really, it just looked impressive and horrifying.

Then, Harry took aim again and he started firing the simple Diffindo spell on Max, repeatedly.

Thin and shallow yet painful cuts started appearing all over Max' body, leaking small droplets of blood. With each spell, a new cut appeared on Max' arms, and Harry was firing at an incredible rate.

Harry took care not to hit Max' lightning bolt wound, whilst focusing his spells on Max' arms and legs.

It was not difficult at all to sneak in multiple hits at his twin's bonds, which Harry was knowingly weakening.

Eventually, Harry deemed his job satisfactory. The bonds that were binding Max had been sufficiently weakened so that they would break with little effort, yet this was not noticeable unless one actually examined the ropes for weaknesses.

Max was in a terrible state though, his arms and legs were riddled with thin cuts whilst his chest and stomach had the huge lightning bolt, which had fortunately stopped bleeding by now. The bolt had bled so much that Max' torso was almost completely red in the front, as there had been nothing to clean away any of the blood.

Now, all Harry needed was to somehow get Max his wand. Although Harry didn't put any stock in his brother's skill as a wizard, in a situation like this one, every extra wand was worth its weight in gold.

But now what? He was looking at Max in a way that suggested that he was considering how to continue his torture, but he could only stall for a few seconds like this. He needed to somehow get Max and himself to the Triwizard Cup,

There was nothing to it, he'd have to use his element. He saw no other way that had enough of a shock value as to give them even the slightest chance of escaping.

Wormtail had given Harry his wand back, so it was a safe back that the rat had Max' wand in his possession as well. He'd have to get that somehow.

The Cup could be seen about a hundred feet away. It hadn't been moved from where it had landed after depositing the Potter twins. Harry would just have to hope that the Cup worked the way Wormtail seemed to have hinted at.

Plan firmly in mind, Harry snarled at Max angrily, "Now, you will know pain!"

"Crucio!" Harry shouted furiously, wand pointed straight at his brother's head.

The moment the spell left Harry's wand, the elemental acted in the hope that the Death Eaters were unprepared.

Spinning on his heel, Harry stretched out his wandless hand, and at a mere thought, a huge snowstorm flew from his hand, obscuring the Death Eaters and Voldemort from the Potters' view, and vice versa.

Harry's Crucio had done precisely what it had needed to do, it had made Max spasm violently, even if only for a moment, and that had been enough to break Max' bonds.

Whilst his blizzard rampaged amongst the Death Eaters, Harry had cast another spell with his wand, a simple Accio. Harry grinned in triumph as Max' wand came flying to him out of the dense and obscuring snowstorm that raged in front of him.

All of this happened in two seconds, at most.

Then, just as Harry started hurriedly moving towards Max, who'd crumpled to the ground the moment his bonds had broken, a huge wave of pressure came out of the snowstorm and blasted the white powder away.

Voldemort looked furious, his red eyes gleaming menacingly, his elegant lips pulled back into a sneer, and his wand pointed in front of him, right at Harry.

"He is mine!" The Dark Lord hissed menacingly, before firing an Avada Kedavra at Harry's head.

Harry ducked, ignoring the sound of the AK striking a statue and making it explode into pieces.

It was obvious that Max was out for the count, and Harry was once again frustrated with his brother. The fool's pain threshold was pitiful!

Still, with the plan of running to the cup together foiled, Harry had another idea.

He desperately shielded the Dark Lord's next chain of curses, before retaliating by firing an enormous ice spear, aiming for Voldemort's stomach.

Riddle wasn't even fazed, he let fly a concentrated blast of white-hot fire, and Harry's spear was obliviated.

Still, this had given Harry all the time he needed, as two huge walls of ice had now sprung up midway between Voldemort and the Potters.

In the space between the walls, which was about a foot wide, Harry had conjured a third wall, this one of marble.

Panting like mad, as a conjuration of that kind was murder on your reserves, Harry hoped his small barrier would give him the seconds he needed.

A flick of his hand, and Max was laying on a slab of ice, which Harry then sent racing for the Cup. A quick gesture, and Harry was following his twin on his own slab, although Harry was travelling backwards, so that he could keep an eye on Voldemort.

The Dark Lord had apparently summoned Fiendfyre to take care of Harry's barrier, and a trio of black curses where flying at Harry right now, whilst the Dark Lord glided forwards, his Death Eaters following behind him anxiously.

Harry did his best, He managed to shield the first curse with an advanced Dueling shield, deflected the second one with a technique he'd spent two months mastering, and countered the third, as he recognized it as the Nightmare Curse, a spell that threw you into your deepest and darkest nightmares until a counter was applied, or the victim died as his mind proved incapable of coping with so much mental trauma.

Unfortunately, amongst all those shockingly black curses, Harry hadn't noticed the near translucent one. Something for which he paid for heavily, as Harry could do nothing but scream in agony when his wandless arm was sheared off at the shoulder.

Harry stared uncomprehendingly as his arm fell to the ground. Somehow, through the pain and shock, Harry at least kept the iceboards his brother and he were using, moving.

Knowing that the Dark Lord had used some kind of Dark Curse, Harry knew the basic field healing spells he knew wouldn't be able to stop the bleeding, which is why he merely focused before freezing his entire wound solid, a thick layer of ice covering the part of his body where an arm normally attached.

Harry knew his brother and he were close to the Cup. Close to safety. He was running on empty, but he just had to hold Voldemort back for a few more seconds, long enough to stumble off of his slab of ice, put a leg on Max, and grab the Cup.

With that thought, Harry took aim. Just as Voldemort fired a sickly yellow curse at Harry, Harry muttered one of the simplest elemental charms.

"Aguamenti."

A geyser, no, a horizontal Niagara Falls sprang from Harry's wand, thundering towards Voldemort and his minions with indescribable force, swallowing Voldemort's curse as if it was nothing, and completely ignoring the law of gravity.

Harry was almost blasted back by the recoil, but he kept steady as he stumbled off of his slab of ice, glanced down to spot his brother and the Cup, mere feet apart, and felt relieved. He'd done it.

Unfortunately, Voldemort had earned his reputation as one of the greatest wizards in the world, as the Dark Lord twirled his wand whilst bellowing, "FIENDFYRE!"

A Basilisk made of flame came from Voldemort's wand, annihilating Harry's hail mary shot as if it were a pesky fly.

The Dark Lord pointed his wand, and the Basilisk shot forward, rapidly closing in on Harry and Max.

It was too late, Harry fell down, his legs haphazardly thrown over Max' wounded body, his arm stretched out to the Cup, his wand held awkwardly in his hand whilst doing so.

Harry glanced up to see the unbearably hot Basilisk mere feet away.

Then, his fingers touched cold metal, a hook behind his navel, and Harry was carried away in a rainbow of colours.

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><p><strong>And with that, Chapter 36 is done! Adore me, for I am a god. I have moved beyond the Third Task, and have completed the graveyard scene! I have officially advanced further than many of those so very brilliant, yet dreadfully not completed fictions!<strong>

**As always, thanks for reading and I would really like a review or two, so think about that and I'll be back with more story... eventually.**

**Mwahahahahahaaaa!**


	37. Harry Potter: Living Fire Hose

**Hi guys, it's me. I'm very sorry for the wait but that's life you know****? You have no idea how disproportianately long I worked on this chapter. Is disproportianately even a word? I'm trying to communicate that I worked far too long for far too little content. Right, thanks for all the reviews, favoriting and alerting, and I hope you enjoy another chapter of HPatEC (that's how I'm writing the title from now on, as the full title is too long for casual use.)**

**That said, have fun!**

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><p>Regaining his bearings, Harry first noticed the surprisingly small amount of noise. He could hear the roaring of Fiendfyre in the distance, Max' groaning, and the shocked gasp of an as of yet unidentified woman. Also, although largely dominated by the roaring of the Fiendfyre, Harry could hear what seemed to be a war somewhere in the distance as well.<p>

Harry lifted his legs off of Max before looking around. The first thing he saw was the stands. The stands, still filled with students and the other people who'd come to see the Third Task, were almost completely silent. And from what Harry could see, all of them were staring off towards the sounds of battle and Fiendfyre.

Adjusting his gaze to look at what was drawing so much attention, Harry finally realized the full scope of what Karkaroff had done to cause a 'diversion'. Half of the Forbidden Forest was burning, being devoured by Fiendfyre of an incredible scale. Harry saw multiple dragons and even a hydra, all made out of pure fire.

In front of the forest, a huge battle was taking place. On one side stood some of the Hogwarts professors, with Snape being the most notable, as the man was clearly in his element, along with some of the braver adult spectators and even a couple of seventh years. Harry wasn't all that surprised to see a young man wearing Hufflepuff yellow at the front of the battle. Cedric was obviously giving it his all.

On the other side, coming from the forest that was going up in flames behind them, came a swarming mass of Acromantulas off all sizes, and in incredible numbers. Even as Harry watched, a group of five Acromantulas tried to swarm the gentle giant, Hagrid. The normally docile man would have none of that though, ripping one of the creatures in half before bashing the other four with its remnants. Harry could be imagining things, but were those tear tracks running down the man's face?

The most notable fighters who were missing were Flitwick and Dumbledore. After a second, Harry spotted them at the point where Fiendfyre met as of yet unburned forest. They were weaving charms and creating enormous amounts of water in an attempt to contain and eventually defeat the Fiendfyre. They were being defended by McGonagall, who had conjured four medieval warriors to protect the two wizards of any Acromantulas.

Turning to the woman who had gasped upon spotting his arrival, Harry noticed that Sprout had been the one given the duty of waiting for the remaining Champions to arrive.

She was staring in horror at the sight of the bloodstained Max and the maimed Harry. Losing focus for a second, Harry tried to imagine exactly what the woman was looking at, and he then came to understand her shock, as the Potter brothers were probably quite a sight indeed in their current state.

By this point, more and more people in the stands were realizing that the final champions had arrived. They were now furiously whispering to their friends and those sitting around them, until the entire stands were staring and whispering furiously at what they saw in front of them…

Harry managed to force himself to his feet. Max remained lying on the ground, knocked out.

Raising his remaining arm, still holding both the Cup and his wand, Harry indulged in a second of feeling triumphant and victorious. Some part of him wanted to bellow something like: "VICTORY!" or "HOGWAAAAAAAAAAARTS!", but the logical and reasonable side of him triumphed. So, Harry turned to Sprout after a second of staring at the stunned crowd triumphantly.

Then, he turned to Sprout, "I need a Pepper-Up Potion and the idiot needs medical attention, stat!" Harry barked in the most commanding tone he could muster.

Sprout was pulled out of her shock by Harry's voice and she numbly pushed out one hand, in which she held a vial of Pepper-Up Potion.

Taking the potion and chugging it back as fast as he could, Harry thought fondly of the genius that was Albus Dumbledore. Clearly, the man had by this point deciphered a lot of what was going on, so whilst he had been unable to come to Harry's aid directly, he'd given Sprout orders to get Harry up and running as soon as possible upon his return, whilst trusting that Harry could deal with whatever Voldemort would throw at him.

Great man, Dumbledore.

Feeling the steam shoot out of his ears, Harry could feel the fresh energy coursing through his body.

Harry called for Hedwig with his mind whilst thrusting the Cup into Sprout's hands.

"Do not lose it, do not let it get damaged, and do not surrender it to anyone but me or Dumbledore! Are we clear!?" He barked aggressively.

Getting a half-nod from Sprout, Harry turned to the stands once again, even as Hedwig was rapidly approaching.

Knowing that he had a few seconds where he couldn't do anything but wait for Hedwig, Harry cast a quick Sonorus upon himself.

"Well? Why aren't you cheering?" Harry asked faux curiously, before thrusting up his hand to catch the passing Hedwig's tail feathers.

Now racing towards the battle and the Fiendfyre, Harry cursed his lack of a second arm, because had he had one, his current position would have been perfect to take out large amounts of Acromantulas with relative ease.

Instead, Harry had to rely on conjuring and controlling large icicles without any help of physical direction. It was a taxing and inefficient task, so Harry abandoned it almost immediately, preferring to save his energy for the Fiendfyre he'd be fighting in half a minute or so.

Harry and Hedwig rocketed over the battlefield in seconds, Harry watching on in awe as Snape took off over 30 spider legs with a single spell whilst Cedric had apparently conjured a claymore, with which he was now deeply penetrating the Acromantula ranks.

Now approaching the position of the anti-Fiendfyre team as Harry'd dubbed them in his mind, Harry let go of Hedwig's tail feathers, performing a beautifully executed shoulder roll to take the sting out of his landing before popping up on his legs next to Dumbledore, with Flitwick on Dumbledore's other side.

Dumbledore looked down at Harry for a second, his eyes growing dim and sad when he spotted the frozen stump that had had an arm attached a mere hour ago.

"Are you able to help, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, unsure if Harry had enough power left to be of use.

"Yes." Harry responded curtly, not willing to mince words in the current situation.

Focusing for a second, Harry managed to form a decent corporeal Patronus which he fired off towards the stands, before mentally giving Hedwig some orders as well.

That taken care of, Harry focused on the fire Dumbledore and Flitwick were containing.

Harry his wand in its holster before closing his eyes, lowering his head, and raising his single hand.

Harry started breathing in deeply, and upon the third breath, icy vapor was coming from his mouth when he expelled his breath.

Fearing he'd deepfreeze his allies if he used this kind of magic so close to them, Harry created an slab of ice before using his Iceman based sky travel to get up above the forest and face the fire head on, instead of from a corner like Dumbledore and Flitwick were.

Then, hail and snow started forming out of nowhere, forming a tight cyclone around Harry.

It grew and grew and grew, until Harry had formed a veritable maelstrom of snow and ice.

Harry started flexing and relaxing his fingers, causing the maelstrom to tighten around him before loosening again.

He was almost ready…

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Rachel was sat next to Hermione, with Ron on Hermione's other side.

The three Gryffindors had watched on incredulously as the Forbidden Forest had suddenly started burning, and huge beasts made of fire had started consuming even more of the forest.

Only seconds before, they'd been cheering Max on as he got steadily closer to the Cup, having witnessed Harry take to the air a couple of seconds before that.

Dumbledore had immediately set off with Flitwick, Snape and McGonagall in tow. Although the wizened old wizard had taken the time to exchange a few words with professor Sprout, who'd moved up to take a position directly next to where the winner of the Tournament was supposed to appear.

Then, a horde of Acromantulas had come from the rapidly burning Forest, assaulting the small group of teachers.

In response, a wave of adults had answered the call and had moved to go and fight the humongous spiders.

When almost all of Gryffindor and portions of the other three Houses had stood up to fight as well, the threesome included, Madame Maxime had taken the lead, bellowing that anybody underage was hereby forbidden to go and aid in the fighting.

That had lead to near mutiny, but the French headmistress hadn't budged.

So, everybody had watched on at the distant battle taking place for a few minutes, until the enterprising Weasley twins had offered to modify the screens that had been showing the Champions earlier, to let them project the battle instead.

A spontaneous collection of Galleons had rapidly gathered the redheaded duo their requested 50 Galleons, at which point they'd done their thing in half a minute, after which everybody had started watching the screens anxiously.

Then, just as everybody had started to realize exactly how badass their teachers really were, and how terribly terrifying Hagrid, the peaceful half-giant, really was, a furious whispering had started up and everybody had switched their gazes to where the winner was set to appear.

Because there, the Potter twins had arrived. Harry had been holding onto the Cup, but something looked off about him, whilst Max was almost completely naked and he looked as if he'd been bathed in blood!

Then, when Harry had gotten to his feet, it had become obvious that the thing that was off about him, was him arm. It was off. Literally. The wound had been completely covered in a thick crust of ice and Harry's arm had clearly not made the Portkey trip with him.

Harry had risen the Cup towards the stands in a taunting fashion, he was obviously the winner of the Tournament, and then he'd turned to Sprout, demanded something from her, chugged down a potion and taken off towards the battle and Fiendfyre.

Sprout had called for two sixth years to carry Max to the Hospital Wing, where Madam Pomfrey was already hard at work treating those who had taken severe injuries in the war with the Acromantulas.

Meanwhile, Harry had arrived next to Dumbledore, and after a brief conversation, he'd shot off a Patronus. Then he'd obviously started to gather his strength, and Rachel knew he was preparing to go head to head with the enormous Fiendfyre.

Just as Harry was taking off again, to go face the fire head on, his Patronus, which appeared to be some kind of wolf, had appeared in front of Rachel.

"Owens, what I need you to do, if you feel that you can, is to go to the far side of the Fiendfyre, and try to weaken it. I don't care how you do it, but Fiendfyre is still fire, and by that logic I am counting on you to be of some help. Draco and Neville will escort you." The Patronus spoke, before running up a few rows, where it started speaking to the boys in question.

Hermione and Ron were both looking on with baffled expressions, as Rachel still hadn't told them about her elemental control.

"Rachel what's going on?" Hermione questioned anxiously, one hand still lingering near her mouth where she'd been biting on her nails.

Before Rachel could answer though, Ron gasped in awe, staring at the closest of the projection screens incredulously.

Rachel and Hermione looked up as well, and were surprised to see that this specific screen was now showing a thickening maelstrom of ice and snow, inside of which glimpses of Harry Potter could be spotted.

As Hermione's attention was taken up by what was happening on the screen, Rachel almost let out a startled shriek when someone tapped her on the shoulder, but a hand was slipped over her mouth before she could.

The hand was removed and Rachel turned around ready to reprimand whoever had given her such a scare, only to come face to face with Neville Longbottom and Draco Malfoy, whom had somehow managed to get from a few rows in front of her, to the spot immediately behind her.

"Don't yell, we just want to know if you're going to need an escort or if you aren't able to do what Harry asked of you." Neville asked calmly, trying not to alert Ron or Hermione, who were both focused on the screen, where Harry had by now been hidden from sight completely, his vortex of cold to thick and fast to allow any sight of the young man that was positioned inside of it.

"I -" Rachel tried to answer, only to realize that she had no clue what she was about to say.

Could she do anything to help out? Against Fiendfyre? It seemed so unlikely… Then again, Harry had always proven to be correct when estimating the extent of her abilities. But she'd have to get through a huge battle and she didn't really trust Draco or Neville. Ron wouldn't be of any use due to his panic fear of spiders and Hermione wasn't the ideal person for a full battle scenario either.

What kind of Gryffindor would she be if she didn't answer when called upon? She had to try at least!

"If you've got a way past Madame Maxime, then let's get moving." Rachel answered once she'd made up her mind, before following behind Harry's friends as they slipped out of the stands.

Draco and Neville led her to the closest exit, leading her behind the stands, before taking up a light jog towards the battlefield.

They didn't get far though before a shout stopped them, " 'Old eet right zere!"

The trio paused, looking back to see Maxime rapidly advancing towards them.

"You are not of age and I 'ave already made eet clear zat all students who are not of age are zo remain in ze stands." Maxime spoke angrily, her emotions making her accent even more noticeable to the point where it became very hard to understand her.

Draco answered, "When the time comes and the call is sounded, it is not age, but ability that matters."

Maxime frowned, "Very well. All zree of you?" She asked. At Draco's nod, Maxime sighed, "Bon, be careful et bonne chance."

With that, the French Headmistress turned back to go and keep an eye on the stands, whilst the boys started to jog again. Neither noticed Rachel's puzzled expression.

"What was that about?!" Rachel shouted incredulously, keeping pace with the running boys, the battle between Acromantulas and humans rapidly growing closer.

"What?" Neville asked, not bothering to look back, instead staying focused on the battle in front of them, and their intended destination, which was the side of the fire where there wasn't a huge vortex of ice and where Dumbledore and Flitwick weren't trying to install a protective barrier.

Before Rachel could respond though, Draco spoke up, "We'd best go around the right side of the fight, it'll get us closest to where we need to be and we won't be flanked that way."

Then, as Rachel tried to speak up, a loud roaring sound broke her concentration, and everybody paused what they were doing to stare at the source of the noise incredulously.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry felt it. He was ready.

With an almighty roar, which rang across the grounds and made everybody look at him in awe, Harry acted.

The maelstrom that had been swirling around him exploded into an enormous wall of ice and snow, which flew right at the enormous Fiendfyre that had been battering against Dumbledore and Flitwick's arcane barrier.

With an enormous bang, and an explosion of steam, the opposing forces collided.

Harry felt a physical jolt as his attack was met with an equally unstoppable force.

Fire and ice met in an incredible battle, with salvos of ice impacting against the Fiendfyre, which had now morphed into a huge dragon, with an army of smaller creatures surrounding it.

A large Pterodactyl of Fiendfyre broke through Harry's formidable defense and Harry winced in pain when its wing managed to graze his armless side.

Half a second later the creature had dissolved, it's inherent magic no match for the arctic conditions surrounding Harry.

Harry growled in frustration as he kept pouring power into the blizzard he was controlling, whilst not gaining even half an inch against the Fiendfyre.

It was just Harry's luck that he had to face Fiendfyre on the Hogwarts grounds. It was one of the relatively few places in the world where Fiendfyre could grow to its full power.

You see, Fiendfyre was of course created by a wizard or with. And as long as the caster of the spell had more power left in him than he'd put into his Fiendfyre, he would be able to control and even stop the fire. This was what made Fiendfyre so dangerous. The caster had to know when he'd invested exactly half of his reserves, and stop the spell before that time.

For to stop the spell, it took exactly as much power as there had been put into it so far. This in and of itself was not what made it dangerous. A sufficiently powerful wizard could easily overpower an opponent using Fiendfyre as long as he used a counter that was equally or more powerful.

Fiendfyre's true power laid in what happened when a caster lost or deliberately gave away the control. Then Fiendfyre would grow semi-sentient and start drawing from ambient magic to suck up more power and grow both warmer and larger.

And Hogwarts had the highest amount of ambient magic of the entire British Isles!

Harry continued his battle against the Fiendfyre. If he could just keep the fire contained until Dumbledore and Flitwick could cast some greater water spells as well, they should be fine.

He wondered how the battle was going, and what Rachel was doing right now.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Rachel stared in awe as Harry went toe to toe with the Fiendfyre, fire and ice meeting in an incredible battle.

It was one of the most beautiful things she'd ever seen, as fire and ice collided and formed clouds of steam that billowed up from the confrontation.

The shock lasted only a second, then action resumed as human and Acromantula reengaged and the three students continued to run.

Then, they arrived at the battle, and a large Acromantula came scuttling at the threesome, who were now on the very outskirts of battle. It appeared as if the humans had gained the upper hand and were now slowly exterminating the Acromantulas, but that was of no use to Rachel and her escort, as they had to beat their opponent first.

Draco and Neville acted simultaneously.

Whilst Neville dug a hand into the small leather pouch that hung by his side, Draco slashed his wand whilst shouting "Incisura!"

A bronze coloured spell shot from Draco's wand and straight at the large spider, which leapt aside, but didn't manage to completely evade the spell as it cut off the two front legs on the creature's right side, effectively slowing it down.

Neville pulled out what he'd been looking for, and after tapping the purple orb he was holding with his wand, he threw it at the Acromantula, catching it on its still unharmed side.

The bulb exploded on contact and a yellow fluid came sloshing out, covering the Acromantula's flank, where it immediately started smoking as the acid started eating away at the spider.

The spider shrieked in agony before Draco finished it off with a Bombarda to the head.

Rachel had barely managed to pull her wand by the time Draco and Neville had finished their opponent off.

"Come on!" Neville shouted, before leading the small group onward, towards the Forbidden Forest.

No other spiders engaged the small threesome, who were perfectly content to keep to themselves.

"How did you do that?" Rachel asked incredulously, not understanding how the two boys had moved so smoothly, disposing of a Class 3 Dark Creature without even blinking.

Draco ignored the Gryffindor, but Neville looked over his shoulder with a small grin, "Never underestimate the importance of Herbology." He joked with a slight smile.

The threesome had gotten as close to the Fiendfyre as they safely could, and Draco and Neville turned to Rachel expectantly.

"Right, uh, give me a second," Rachel spoke, only now realizing that she still didn't know how she was going to do this.

"Guard my back." She muttered before turning to face the Fiendfyre.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry groaned in exertion as he kept forcing all he had into his battle with the rampaging Fiendfyre. Since the beginning of his attempts to force back the fire, he'd gained maybe half a foot, but he'd used over half of the energy the Pepper-Up Potion had restored to him, to gain that small amount.

He had no idea how the battle was progressing, but he sure was hoping that some more people would start to add their own spells soon. Harry was taking up all of the energy the Fiendfyre had, so any additional attempts at extinguishing the fire should be enough to overexert the Fiendfyre and weaken it more significantly.

It was a good thing that Harry was the perfect defense for Fiendfyre, because had there not been a water elemental to combat this Fiendfyre, Hogwarts would have had a major problem. Harry found it curious that Hogwarts had stood for over a thousand years with such a gaping hole in its defenses.

But, this was not the time to think on that. He had to keep his focus on maintaining a continuous stream of ice, snow and water to extinguish the fire.

And then, Harry felt it. The fire was losing power.

With a deep groan, Harry forced even more power into his attack, he could only keep this up a couple of minutes, but he could feel a significant difference now. He was gaining an inch every few seconds. He had to push on!

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Rachel could hear an Acromantula shrieking and Draco and Neville shouting at each other, but she didn't look behind her. Instead she remained focused on the Fiendfyre she was supposed to fight.

But how? Potter had never had her face Fiendfyre! They'd done all kinds of creating and controlling her own fire, as well as deflecting or channeling somebody else's fire spells, which had been difficult to really test as Potter hadn't had an easy time casting fire spells for Rachel to take control of. Other than that they'd handled dragon fire and Gubraithian fire, which Harry had acquired via Dumbledore. But Fiendfyre was on a completely different scale! How was she supposed to control something that was sentient!?

It was just like Potter to do something like this! 'Oh hey, there's this huge fire danger and I expect you to help. I did waste my time training you after all, but if you can't, that's fine to.'

Rachel could just imagine the pretentious prick's smug grin when he ended up saving the day. Well she wasn't going to just let that happen!

She'd show him!

Sticking her hands out to the fire determinedly, Rachel first tried to control the fire, to stop it from expanding further. She managed to gain control for just a second, when the fire started fighting her. Well not exactly. The fire she had under control was behaving just fine, but it was as if some kind of darker thing was fighting her for the control.

That had to be the Dark Magic that changed Fiendfyre into the semi-sentient being that it was! Perhaps she could separate them?

Tentatively, Rachel kept her left hand aimed at the Fiendfyre, whilst pointing her right hand away from the fire and up into the sky.

Slowly, a small but steady stream of fire started draining away from the Fiendfyre, instead moving to the sky where Rachel was pointing at, where the fire then disappeared as there was nothing for it to burn there.

Smiling confidently, Rachel tried to increase the amount of fire she was channeling per second. To her unpleasant surprise however, her attempt failed as she could feel the Dark magic blocking her.

Frowning, Rachel poured more power into her channeling as she did her best to weaken the Fiendfyre further.

Bit by bit, Rachel managed to force the dark consciousness back and gain more control over the Fiendfyre, sucking increasing amounts of fire away and letting it die out by casting it into the air.

The heat of the fire was pleasant for her, and now that she had managed to wrest a decent amount of control from the still sentient Fiendfyre, Rachel allowed her gaze to wander, looking to where Dumbledore was now controlling multiple small tornadoes to send chunks of Fiendfyre into the sky, where they were crushed out of existence by McGonagall, who had arrived to help by now, and who was using two large conjured slabs of earth between which she extinguished the fiery creatures Dumbledore threw into the air.

Looking over her shoulder, Rachel noticed that the battle between wizards and Acromantulas had mostly ended. The last couple of Acromantulas were being executed and a large amount of the people who had been previously fighting the giant spiders were now busily transporting people to the hospital wing, or coming to add their own water spells against the Fiendfyre. Things were finally looking up.

Glancing back at her own work, Rachel nodded contentedly at her progress before allowing her gaze to wander again. Looking up into the air, and to the other side of the Fiendfyre, where it was at its strongest and about thirty feet high, Rachel wasn't all that surprised to see a wall of ice, water and snow pummel into the Fiendfyre that was being pushed back and down at the same time.

Rachel let out a relieved sigh. They'd be fine now, the Acromantulas had been defeated, Harry and Max had returned from wherever the Triwizard Cup had brought them, and the Fiendfyre was finally being extinguished.

Thank god the year was almost over.

~~~~Scene Break~~~~

Harry let out a relieved sigh when Dumbledore's Patronus came flying up to him.

"Harry, we're sending people in to take care of the last pockets of fire, you've done well." The phoenix spoke before disappearing.

Absolutely exhausted, Harry finally stopped feeding his wall of water in all its forms, finally making it disappear to grant Harry an idea of exactly what the situation was.

The fire had been forced back, and there were no large Fiendfyre creatures running around any longer. A fire crew of 20 or so wand-wielding wizards were marching into the smoldering remains of the Forest to take care of the last hotspots and Harry could see Draco and Neville on the other side of the burned piece of forest. Owens appeared to be with them.

Muffling a tired groan, Harry slowly skated down to the ground. He stumbled off of his slab of ice and could feel his legs wobble beneath him. He was spent. There were no reserves left. He'd been exhausted when he'd escaped from the graveyard, the Pepper-Up had gotten him back up to just tired, but now he was dead on his feet. Never in his life had he been as battered and drained as he was right now.

And the worst thing was, he wouldn't be able to rest just yet. He had to talk to Dumbledore about the events that transpired in the graveyard and then he'd have to make sure that his shoulder wound was stabilized in a more reliable way before he would finally be able to rest up.

Looking around, Harry spotted Dumbledore talking to Snape, who nodded curtly at something Dumbledore said before briskly marching off, whipping his cloak dramatically.

Harry did his best not to slouch and to walk properly towards Dumbledore, but he couldn't stop his feet from dragging over the ground tiredly.

Dumbledore turned around and spotted Harry, and Harry could see the old man frown worriedly before hiding any signs of worry or uncertainty behind a determined expression.

"I believe our discussion is best had in the Hospital Wing, does that sound alright to you Harry?" Dumbledore asked, cutting straight to the chase, something Harry could appreciate.

"I'm only telling the story once, I'll want Draco and Neville there to serve as both friends and bodyguards, when done I will be allowed to rest, people will behave instead of interrupting me after every sentence and I want to rest up in peace and quiet so you will send other injured people on to St. Mungo's. Also, I won the tournament so I do expect an eventual official ceremony as well as the prize money that is rightfully mine." Harry spoke slowly, making sure not to forget any details and to enunciate clearly, even if he would have preferred to just slur a tired 'Lemme rest,' before finding the nearest soft and sufficiently large horizontal surface which he would then proceed to lie down on after which he would sleep for a long, long time.

Even as they spoke, Harry and Dumbledore walked slowly towards the hospital wing. They would have moved faster, but Harry was having a difficult enough time to stay upright as it was, he did not want to factor in more speed in the currently incredibly difficult equation of moving without falling.

"Of course Harry, though I'd be much obliged if you could give me a short summary of what happened, time is of the essence in these matters after all." Dumbledore prodded gently, and Harry knew the old man was right.

"Cup wasn't were it should be, Max managed to tag along with the Portkey. Brought us to a graveyard. Stunned because fat lump hindered my reflexes. Woke up to sight of Voldemort and Wormtail, the prior is restored to a body. Used blood of enemies, skeleton of father and arm of Wormtail. Summoned Death Eaters. Gloated. Explained theory about Max surviving Halloween '81. Approached me, made offer to join his ranks. I faked acceptance. He Legillimencied me. I fooled him. Begged for right to torture Max. Received it. Tortured Max with cutting spells, used this to weaken his bonds without being spotted. Crucio'd Max for a nanosecond, made him break bonds. Used element based distraction to gain some seconds. Dueled Voldemort whilst moving to Cup. Lost my arm to near-invisible cutter. Barely escaped Voldemort's Fiendfyre, arrived here, got Pepper-Up, came to help you. That's it." Harry summarized, trying to sort out the clutter of events and summarize them in a logical way.

Harry and Albus arrived at the hospital wing. Dumbledore directed Harry to one of the more isolated beds on the far side of the wing before speaking, "I will assemble everybody who should hear your testimony. It will take a couple of minutes. I'll make sure to send Draco and Neville this way. Just rest here for a while Harry."

At Harry's tired nod, the old Headmaster marched off again, his wand already drawn and the Patronus charm half on his lips. Harry closed his eyes and let his head fall back with an annoyed groan, "It's really no good advertizing for Hogwarts when your Headmaster doesn't so much as shrug when you tell him you lost an arm whilst fighting a Dark Lord."

Harry snorted when an errant thought popped into his head, "Still, it could be worse. Tonight cost me an arm. At least it didn't cost me an arm and a leg."

It was a testament to exactly how tired Harry was that he laughed so hysterically at his own bad pun.

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><p><strong>Done. Let me know what you think, I'm seriously considering rewriting this chapter as something about it just feels off, so your input is very important for this one. That said, I don't have that much else to say, I'll be undergoing surgery next week and I've got a huge essay coming up for collegeuniversity, so there won't be an update any time soon, sorry to disappoint. One more time: Please review!**

**That's all from me, **

**Oh no wait, one final thingy: In the bold text thingy in the chapter before this one or the one before that, I made a joke about being godlike for moving past the Cup = Portkey bit, that was a JOKE people. Seriously, they need to make some kind of way that allows you to clearly display sarcasm and other intonations through text. That would be awesome. **

**So, now that I've got another big block of text down here, I might as well repeat it one final time: Please review!**


	38. I just want to sleep!

**Once again returning from the dead, it is I, Peeves' best friend! I would like to thank everyone who reviewed, alerted and favorited. Also apologies for the wait, but writer's block and stuff got in the way so yeah. Anyways, whilst distracting myself with another nonsensical and weird oneshot, I had an epiphany and this is the result. Little to no action, just the necessary aftermath that comes with the international fiasco that was the Third Task.**

**Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!**

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><p>Harry opened his eyes as he heard the hospital wing's fireplace roar with the fire of an incoming person via Floo travel.<p>

Turning his head, to watch whoever was coming in, lazily, Harry blinked his eyes twice before paying more attention. He didn't do things lazily. Ever.

The first person stepped out of the Floo, and Harry wasn't exactly jumping for joy when he recognized the werewolf Lupin.

Lupin didn't acknowledge anybody, instead just glancing around the wing quickly, towards the few ill and wounded spread throughout the wing. His eyes skimmed over Harry, but he didn't seem to register whom he was looking at, as he'd turned to watch the next incoming arrival the next second.

Black came swaggering out of the Floo, his Auror robes burnt and a rip in those robes near his ribs showed the white bandage that laid underneath. Obviously, Black had been heavily involved in the battle of the Forest, as it was becoming known already. The torn robes had been caused by the actual fighting, the burnt parts of robe must have been caused by an Acromantula actually spitting venom. A rarity for certain, but some of the elder spiders were indeed capable of this.

Black didn't ever bother with checking his surroundings, instead turning to the fireplace immediately, where the third Marauder stumbled out, almost smacking into the ground nose-first if it weren't for Black and Lupin catching him. James Potter clearly had no talent for Floo travel.

"Thanks Pads, Moony," The elder Potter muttered distractedly, yet loud enough for Harry to hear, which was quite loud, seeing as Harry did lay on almost the other side of the wing.

As the other two men distractedly waved off James' apologies, all three men turned around to look at the fireplace almost anxiously.

The reason for this became obvious seconds later as Max Potter came stumbling out of the fireplace. He didn't seem to have had trouble with the actual travel, as he appeared as if he was just going to walk out, but then he sagged and fell into the waiting arms of his father and uncles.

Max was wearing a hospital gown and he appeared to have fallen asleep between already. Obviously, he was on some very powerful sleeping potions. Harry must've done more damage than he'd realized. Which was weird, because blood-replenishing potions should have easily made up for the only real threat Harry's … ahum, methods, had caused to Max. The cuts hadn't threatened any vital organs and all of them would've been easily healed as they were made by common spells.

He must've let Max bleed more heavily than he'd thought. Oh well, no point crying over spilt milk.

As the three men fussed over an apparently already sleeping Max, the flames spewed out one last person, and Lily Potter stepped out of the fireplace to direct the three men to guide Max to the closest available free bed.

Whilst the newly arrived group was slowly letting Max sink back into his pillow, the doors to the hospital wing swung open and a new group of people came marching in.

Albus was leading the group with Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge by his side. Draco and Neville were walking side by side and slightly behind the actual group. Two men wearing Auror robes were following Fudge, they were obviously a hastily assigned guard detail.

Other than that, McGonagall was in conversation with a woman Harry recognized as Amelia Bones, who was head of the DMLE and who had been taking an increasing amount of flak from the Prophet ever since the successful escape(s) from Wormtail. Harry thought those critiques were undeserved, after all, Bones' department had been on the wrong side of budget cuts ever since Halloween '81.

As the small group started moving for his bed, Harry saw Sirius and James jerk to attention as they noticed both their boss, and her boss.

The group led by Dumbledore ignored the Marauders and co though, instead swiftly passing by Max' bed to form a semi-circle around the end of Harry's bed. Draco and Neville moved to stand next to Harry's shoulders, one on each side.

With a polite nod, Harry spoke, "Minister Fudge, Madam Bones, it's an honor to meet you. It is unfortunate that it has to be under these circumstances." Harry said formally.

Fudge seemed to puff up slightly at Harry's words, whilst Bones merely gave a curt nod.

"Of course, a pleasure to meet you too my boy." Fudge spoke in a pleased tone.

"Now then, how about we do this as efficiently as possible. I understand you got injured quite severely my boy, and after the events of tonight you must be absolutely exhausted." Fudge continued, leaving Harry pleasantly surprised at the take-charge tone the man was using. Perhaps his evaluation of Fudge being a puppet wasn't as correct as he'd thought.

"First and foremost, you won the Triwizard Tournament. The images have since been reviewed and it is obvious that whilst Max Potter was pulled along with the Portkey just as much as you yourself were, Mr. Potter, it is also indisputable that you were in fact the only person actively touching the Cup at the moment of activation and as you were the first person to touch the Cup, that makes you the undisputed winner of the Triwizard Tournament. Congratulations." Fudge spoke, smiling proudly down at Harry, as if the man had been rooting for him all along. Harry had to give it to the man, he was a born politician.

Before Fudge could continue, Sirius and James arrived, James appearing to be quite angry.

"Now wait just one second! Max would have won this tournament fair and square if it hadn't been for your cheating!" James interrupted loudly.

As everyone turned to look at the angry Potter patriarch, the man in question continued, "You didn't participate fairly in the task! The maze was intended to be ran yet you used levitation to hover over it to spot the Cup faster! And when Max tackled you after you shamelessly attacked him from behind, you dragged him along with the Portkey instead of fighting honorably! You don't deserve to be declared the winner!"

Harry sighed, when would this idiot learn?

"One, there was not a single rule that forbade me from using the Porposo to hover over the maze. Two, I did participate fairly, but the Cup was not in the center of the maze, where it should have been. Only after arriving there to find an empty pedestal did I use the spell to locate the Cup. Three, I wouldn't have needed to attack him from behind had it not been for number 2, and there was once again not a single rule that forbade me from attacking Max. Four, I won both other tasks with ridiculous ease and have demonstrated repeatedly during this Tournament that I am by far the most skilled of the four Champions, so in conclusion I am most definitely the deserved winner." Harry listed of, Neville being so helpful as to count along on his fingers, thus giving the visual reinforcement Harry was too tired to give himself.

Fudge interfered before James could get another word in, "Auror Potter, I believe you have no official business attending this conversation so I strongly suggest you remain silent if you don't want to be evoked from these proceedings." The Minster of Magic spoke sharply, getting a venomous glare from James.

Harry lifted an intrigued eyebrow. Tension between Fudge and Team BWL? Now that was useful information.

"Now then, Harry, you don't mind if I call you Harry, do you?" Fudge started only to pause and look at Harry with a friendly smile.

"Of course not Minister." Harry answered politely, settling back to listen as the bowler hat wearing man continued.

"Excellent, now then, there will be an award ceremony later, we will have to postpone because of recent events, but I see no reason for it not to continue. So with that out of the way, why don't you tell us what transpired between the moment when you touched the Triwizard Cup, and the moment when you arrived on the stage where you should have arrived directly." Fudge finished before gazing at Harry expectantly. To be honest, Harry was really surprised at how Fudge had completely taken charge of the conversation. Dumbledore hadn't even spoken yet!

"Well, when we arrived at our destination, I was thrown to the ground due to the added weight of Max, who was in the process of tackling me when I touched the Cup. Because of this, I was unable to grab my wand before being knocked out by a Stunner." Harry spoke, getting gasps from his audience.

"When I woke, I was tied to a statue and my wand had been taken from me. I was also bleeding quite a bit from a deep cut that had been made in my arm. As I regained my bearings, I spotted two men who were watching me and Max. He too was tied up to a statue, and he had yet to regain consciousness."

"The smaller of the men was Peter Pettigrew, also known as Wormtail. I recognized him not only from the Wanted posters, but also as I had previously apprehended him about a year ago. Anyway, Pettigrew was bleeding from his right arm socket, as his entire limb was missing. Despite this, he was grinning like a lunatic and he seemed almost ecstatic."

"Next to the rat stood a man of about six feet and two inches, he had full dark hair and a slightly pale skin tone. His eyes were entirely red and he had that classic pureblood bone structure we are all familiar with."

"Then, Pettigrew fainted from what I venture to have been blood loss. The second man waved his hand at Max and me, paralyzing me from the neck down. I believe it probable that he did the same to Max. The man then went on to wave his wand over Pettigrew's bloody arm socket repeatedly which somehow resulted in the creation of a completely silver limb, covered in archaic runes I did not manage to decipher."

"Unfortunately for Max, he still hadn't regained consciousness, and this seemed to irk the man, as he aimed his wand at him before using the Cruciatus." Harry spoke, pausing to allow for the dramatic and horrified gasps of his listeners. They didn't disappoint.

"Yes, well, this of course woke Max up, and the man immediately cut off the spell. He'd only held it for a fraction of a second. Then, Pettigrew started gloating, explaining how his Lord had been waiting for this moment for quite some time. How everything had been part of his plan, which Dumbledore and I had managed to delay by stopping Barty Crouch Junior and by fighting Voldemort," cue more expressions of shock and horror, "but we had not managed to stop completely. At this point, it was revealed that the second man was indeed The Dark Lord Voldemort himself."

Harry allowed the incomprehensible shouts and questions of his audience to die down before answering the main questions he had managed to pick up out of the hardly comprehensible shouts.

"Yes, Voldemort has indeed returned to a full physical form and he has full availability over his magic. I am certain it was him and no I did not hallucinate nor am I making this up." Harry spoke calmly, trying to get the crowd to calm down so that he could continue his story even as most of them shivered, jumped or squawked at the use of Voldemort's name, only Dumbledore did not show any reaction at all, though Harry was proud to say that Draco and Neville barely reacted as well, Draco just twitching slightly and Neville blinked twice rapidly. Both of those reactions were far better than when Harry had first used Voldemort's name around the two. That story involved an exploding desk and Draco walking headlong into a door.

Harry's tactic worked marvelously, which wasn't all that surprising as he was talking to people either a) rather intelligent or b) trained to remain silent. Even James fell in that second category at least as a trained Auror.

"Harry, please this is of the utmost importance. Did you get a look at the wand Voldemort was using?" Dumbledore inquired curiously, leaving everyone confused and once more reacting in some way as the Headmaster's question seemed completely irrelevant to the core of the matter whilst still using the feared name.

"It was of a very light wood, but I have no way of knowing any further specifications. As far as I am in a position to judge, I would say Voldemort wielded it with ease and was perfectly matched to his wand." Harry answered, trusting that Dumbledore did indeed have a reason for his question, vague or unknown as it may be. Their audience seemed to be getting worse with every use of the word Voldemort though, and that was getting very annoying.

"Thank you Harry. Please, continue your story." Dumbledore answered, and Harry could swear he saw Fudge let out a relieved sigh at the lack of the word Voldemort in Dumbledore's last two sentences.

"Right, so, Pettigrew proudly explained that Voldemort had reached out to his 'redeemed' servant, whom turned out to be Igor Karkaroff, whom had been instructed to get Max to Voldemort, something which I foiled by reaching the Cup first, but unfortunately Max tackled me at the last second leading to him coming along with the Portkey and thus placing the plan back on schedule." Harry spoke, trying to regain the thread of his story, as all of these interferences were not helping his tired and wounded self with recollecting and logically ordering everything that had happened since he had entered the maze.

And Harry wouldn't be allowed to continue his story now either, as a red-faced James Potter spoke up, "Are you insinuating it is Max' fault that You-Know-Who has returned to a body?"

Harry was impressed, despite James' obvious anger, he asked his question in a deceptively calm tone, and Max still held a lot of sway as the Boy-Who-Lived. Accusing Max of being in line with Voldemort was equivalent to political suicide, as Harry would never be forgiven for something like that, up to the point where people would actively seek to do him harm in retaliation.

So, Harry frowned in thought, before slowly speaking up, carefully considering each word that left his lips, "That's… not what I meant. I will reformulate my message. I meant to express the following sentiment: "Due to an unfortunate combination of circumstances, one of which was Max tackling me, another of which was Karkaroff being a slimy bastard, Max reached Voldemort despite the temporary possibility of that event not taking place." Does that sound better mister Potter?" Harry politely questioned, looking at James with his true feeling hidden behind a curious and slightly apologetic mask.

James nodded brusquely, and Harry continued his story immediately. He needed sleep , and by the Founders, if these people kept interrupting he was liable to call Hedwig and just let her fly him to Antarctica.

"So, the rat explained he'd used a ritual involving blood of both me and my brother," Harry barely managed to pronounce the word brother normally, and noticing the sudden extra interest from Fudge, Harry deduced that Dumbledore wasn't the only one to have caught his near slip, "Bone of Volde-" Harry tried to continue, only to be interrupted yet again.

"Stop!" One of the Aurors accompanying Fudge surprisingly shouted, "Please mister Potter, don't use that word. That's bad luck." The formerly intimidating man continued, and Harry lost a significant amount of respect for the Auror office, if this was what they used as guard detail for the Minister of Magic.

Harry let out an aggravated sigh, "Normally, I'd ridicule you and point out why that is ridiculous, but I have had a horrible day and I just want to get some rest. So fine, now shut up and let me finish this story." Harry spoke angrily, not pleased about giving in on this, but not willing to get into another long, derailing argument.

"So, again," Harry looked at the interfering Auror until he started shuffling uncomfortably, "Blood of me and Max, bone of You-Know-Who's father and finally flesh of a servant, which had been Pettigrew's arm. This was followed by You-Know-Who using Pettigrew's arm to summon his Death Eaters."

For the first time, Fudge interfered in a way more reminiscent of the weak sycophant Harry had been expecting, "Now surely mister Potter, you aren't insinuating He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has any significant amount of followers remaining? Those are locked up in Azkaban!"

Harry frowned, "The following Death Eaters were directly addressed by name: 'Rookwood, Mulciber, Nott, Crabbe, Macnair, Lucius Malfoy, Karkaroff.' There were also half a dozen Death Eaters who were not addressed by name." The Ravenclaw Champion spoke harshly, fearing where Fudge was going with this.

Fudge turned a blotchy red, and now Harry realized that Fudge was still an idiot unwilling to face the truth, who had put up the strong façade in the hope to hear Harry say what he wanted to hear.

"Now you listen to me young man," So much for Fudge using his first name, "those men were all acquitted and the Ministry decided over a decade ago that these men were brave and innocent civilians whom had been put under the Imperius Curse! You insult not only them, but the Ministry of Magic as well with these fabricated claims!"

Harry was stunned, unable to respond for a second as Fudge's sudden obstinacy threw him for a loop even though he should have expected it. Fortunately, Dumbledore stepped in.

"Cornelius, I believe Harry to be telling the truth and you would do well to take what he says very seriously."

"Now you listen here Dumbledore, I am willing to believe that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named still lives, but it is obvious that the boy must have been hallucinating through parts of his horrifying encounter. That is nothing to be ashamed of after the evening he'd had, but I refuse to believe such baseless claims about upstanding members of our society!" Fudge shouted, puffing up, baring vague resemblance to a red hot air balloon.

Before Harry could offer testimony under Veritaserum, Bones spoke up, "If you are about to offer testimony under Veritaserum mister Potter, I shall spare you the trouble. Veritaserum forces one to speak the truth, but if you have been hallucinating or were under an enchantment or illusion by You-Know-Who, then Veritaserum will be fallible as it forces one to speak what they perceive to be the truth. Thus making it inadmissible in court as long as the defendant has an alibi."

Harry frowned at that. That was true, but he'd been counting on Fudge's incompetence to slip that past the Minister. Bones was losing some serious brownie points tonight.

"Fine, asking you to check them for Dark Marks won't work as you'll claim insufficient evidence for such a violation of privacy, which is ridiculous by the way, so let me continue my story." Harry spoke tiredly, once again defeated because people were once again failing/refusing to realize that he was to be taken seriously.

"So, after the summoning of his Death Eaters the amount and identities of which we will obviously not agree on, You-Know-Who started another monologue, this time about the night of his apparent defeat." Harry spoke, but as he opened his mouth to continue and unveil what Voldemort had explained, Dumbledore gave a near imperceptible shake of his head, obviously wanting Harry to keep this part under wraps for now, until the old man had had time to listen to this part in private. How the hell did Dumbledore know what he was about to say though?

"He claimed that his apparent defeat had been a fluke and that he would prove it by killing Max tonight." Harry thus summarized very shortly, agreeing to wait and discuss Voldemort's monologue in private with Dumbledore first.

Lily Potter let out a dramatic sob at that, and Harry only now realized that she and Lupin had now taken up positions around his bed as well.

Not paying his biological mother any attention, despite the desire to look her in the eye for the first time in his conscious life, Harry continued.

"Before he would kill Max though, the Dark Lord claimed he needed to make an offer first. And then he turned to me. Turns out, Karkaroff and Crouch Junior have been praising my magical ability all year, and He wanted to offer me a place amongst his ranks." Harry spoke, blinking as there were suddenly multiple glowing wands pointed at his face.

"Suffice to say, I didn't take it." Harry said dryly, making most people relax and return their wands to their various pockets and holsters. Foolish really, just saying that he didn't do something shouldn't be enough to make everyone relax. Harry was happy to note that Dumbledore nor McGonagall hadn't drawn their wands. Draco and Neville had, but they'd been pointing them at James and one of the Aurors respectively. Pleased to see that those he trusted would be so willing to trust/defend him as well, Harry continued.

"Of course, I couldn't just say no, that would've meant either my death or extensive torture, so I acted as if I seriously considered You-Know-Who's proposal, and after actually negotiating with him, getting the concession that my guardians and cousin would be allowed to live as long as they did not produce any offspring, I agreed. Staying in my role as the angered reject looking for revenge on those who'd abandoned him, I begged Him for the right to torture Max, which was part of my plan to get us out of there. He granted it." Harry said slowly, keeping an eye on the Potter clique, knowing that any attacks would come from them. Lily actually made a move to pull her wand, only to immediately have Neville and Draco shove their own wands under her nose before she could even get her wand half out of her pocket.

"Make your move," Neville led, only for Draco to spit out, "Punk."

Harry was hard pressed to suppress his laughing, and he was certain that he saw Dumbledore's beard twitch. He was somewhat less sure of the slight smile he thought to have seen on McGonagall's face for the slightest of a second, and that sound Black produced must've been a cough he'd just misheard as a chuckle.

As Lily slowly let go of her wand and patted down her robes with an impressive poker face, Neville and Draco returned their own wands to their side, they didn't let go of them though.

"Well then, I will repeat that it was all an act. Keep that in mind, the next part was necessary to sell the ruse. Max insulted me, claiming I should have been killed in my sleep by my biological parents instead of dumping me with the Muggles, as he so eloquently put it, I will admit that this angered me somewhat, which did help in selling the ruse. I then vanished Max' clothes, leaving him only in his underpants, and then I used my wand to cut that large lightning bolt into his chest." Harry spoke calmly, as if he wasn't describing the story of how he'd tortured his own brother.

Most people looked as if they wanted to interfere, so Harry interrupted himself with a quick, "Let me finish!"

As everyone remained quiet, even if some of them looked rather mutinous whilst doing so, Harry continued, "Then I fired a boatload of minor cutting curses at Max, focusing on his limbs. In the mass of spells, it was easy to sneak in some cutters meant to weaken the bonds that were still holding him pinned against the tombstone he was bound against. Once the bonds were sufficiently weakened, I needed to get Voldemort and his followers to be unprepared for what I was about to do. So, I fired a Crucio at Max. I followed this immediately by creating a snowstorm between me and the Death Eaters, obscuring their view. My one-second Crucio managed to make Max spasm hard enough to tear through his bonds, making him fall to the ground. I summoned the Cup to us, managed to dodge a Killing Curse but lost my arm to some kind of translucent Cutting Curse, and then the Cup arrived and I threw myself haphazardly over an unconscious Max as I grabbed it, and that is how we arrived back at Hogwarts." Harry finished, gladly accepting the cup of water Neville offered him, gulping most of it down immediately.

Everyone remained silent until Dumbledore eventually spoke up.

"I believe it would be best if we all spent some time thinking about the information that has come to light tonight, Cornelius. If you could maybe send me an owl tomorrow I would be more than willing to discuss the consequences of these events with you. For now, I am the Headmaster of a traumatized school and there are other people who need me more urgently." Dumbledore said calmly, looking at the Minister with a polite half-smile.

"Yes, yes, yes I think that would be for the best. A speedy recovery mister Potter, and taking into account the circumstances I believe the Ministry won't be pressing charges for the use of an Unforgivable, just make sure to never do it again. Now come along Amelia, I believe we should be leaving." Fudge stuttered slightly before falling back into his strong façade, and Harry was honestly disappointed that it had turned out to be no more than a façade.

Bones nodded before following Fudge and the two Aurors out of the hospital wing, leaving only Dumbledore and McGonagall, Neville and Draco, and the Potter Posse.

"Well then, Minerva I would be much obliged if you could go speak to your Gryffindors and do a quick headcount, make sure to account for misters Potter and Longbottom, also Severus of Draco's reason for being absent, I believe Filius already knows about his own Potter." Dumbledore continued to direct, getting a brisk nod from McGonagall before the cat Animagus left the wing as well.

"Sirius, if you could visit some of the old crowd and put the word out, I would be much obliged. I fear we shall once again be necessary as Cornelius won't acknowledge how truly powerful Voldemort still is." The usual people shivered, though Harry noticed that they were noticeably calmer in their reactions than earlier in the conversation.

Black pouted and whined, but when he noticed the lack of compassion he got, he just shrugged before marching out of the wing as well.

"Remus, I suggest you prepare, you will have to leave tomorrow night if you are still prepared to take up the task that only you can fulfill." Dumbledore turned to Lupin, gazing piercingly into the werewolf's eyes. Lupin could do nothing but nod, which was followed by him too slowly walking out of the hospital wing.

"James, Lily, visitor's hours have ended and Max is in no danger whatsoever, I would be much obliged if you would be willing to leave the hospital wing for the night, as I can already feel Poppy's gaze burning into me. The same goes for you misters Malfoy and Longbottom."

And with that everyone was vacating the wing, only Dumbledore remained standing in front of Harry's bed a little longer.

"I'm going to need the memory of tonight, Harry." Dumbledore said softly, suddenly looking much older and weaker than he had five minutes ago.

"Of course, Albus." Harry said softly, using his wand to extract the memory starting with him touching the Cup, and ending with him touching the Cup again.

Dumbledore conjured a small flask in which he stored the memory before nodding at Harry, "We will talk more later Harry. For now, focus on resting. I believe you will have quite some interested visitors come morning."

Harry just gave a weak nod, dropping the last pretense of having energy left, and he felt his eyes close even as Dumbledore turned to leave the wing. The last thing Harry saw was Hedwig gliding above him before settling down on his headboard to wait.

And with that, Harry fell asleep, unaware as an upset Madame Pomfrey did her best to fix up the winner of the Triwizard Tournament, the Champion of Hogwarts, Harry Potter.

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><p><strong>And that's that. Chapter 38 who'd have thought I'd ever get this far on my first fic ever. Anyways, thanks for reading, drop me a review by the door and if you ever feel like winning the lottery and giving me half your winnings, feel free to tell me ;). Other than that, I don't really have anything to say so now it's your turn, and you can do this by reviewing. <strong>

**Ciao**


	39. Wrapping Up A Long One

**Does it help if I say that I'm really sorry? **

**If it does, then here goes: "I'm sorry it's been so very long since the last update. I truly am."  
>If it doesn't, then that's too bad, and you can suck it.<strong>

**Anyways, a new chapter, so be merry and rejoice. Hopefully, there'll never be as large a gap between chapters as the one before this. Thank you for your continued support and hopefully you enjoy the next chapter.**

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><p>"In fourth place, Miss Fleur Delacour!" Ludo Bagman shouted, as Fleur walked up the stage to receive handshakes from the judges as well as Fudge.<p>

Harry held back a groan as he could feel his head throbbing. Honestly, twenty-four hours ago, he'd been duelling Voldemort in a battle to the death, and yet people still felt the need to drag him out of his well-earned hospital bed for this useless charade.

The elves had arranged for his Tournament outfit to be cleaned and patched up, but that didn't really help with making Harry look healthy when the bags under his eyes had their own bags and his left sleeve hung empty next to his body. Only Hedwig's calm presence on his shoulder added a small amount of grace to Harry's otherwise downright exhausted appearance.

Looking out into the crowd, Harry spotted Draco and Neville conversing softly near the back. He kind of wanted to talk to them, but he could hardly do that now when he needed all his energy to stay upright long enough to receive his awards, being a sack of Galleons and the Triwizard Cup itself, that last one had been added as a prize on the very last second.

That was probably Fudge's attempt at bribery. He probably thought that if he gave Harry the Cup, Harry wouldn't make any statements concerning Voldemort to the press. Unfortunately for Fudge, that wasn't going to work.

Anyways, Harry refocused as another smattering of applause meant that Krum had been called up to shake hands and smile for the camera. The Bulgarian had made third place after all. If it hadn't been for the Cup being placed closer to Max by Karkaroff, the Quidditch Star would probably have made second place so in a way, he did deserve some of Harry's respect.

Glancing back out to the crowd, Harry would've grinned if he had the energy when he noticed the Weasley twins sneaking around in the back busily whispering with Lee Jordan and Seamus Finnigan. Of course, the twins were absolutely ecstatic that their investor was about to receive a large cash prize, as they were hoping to get Harry to float them an extra loan so they'd be able to speed up production. Knowing them, they were probably planning something right now, there was a huge crowd of potential customers gathered in the Hall after all.

Next, Harry spotted his biological parents, as well was Remus and Sirius. The Weasley parents were also standing with them, as were Ron, Hermione and Rachel. Max was of course positioned like Harry, behind the stage so that they'd wouldn't be visible until their names were called. Max, like Harry, looked awful, due to his pale skin tone and slouched posture. And his eyes were bloodshot as well, so at least Harry wouldn't be the only one who wouldn't look to good on stage.

Harry still hadn't spoken with his parents, and he was fine with that. As long as Dumbledore handled them, Harry was perfectly content avoiding team Potter and focusing on more useful things.

Applause and cheers once again rung through the air, and Harry watched as Max stumbled up the stage to receive his share of handshakes and as he had to pose for the obligatory photographs.

As Max was allowed to leave the stage and mingle with the crowd, Bagman started the final introduction.

"And finally, after a hard-fought tournament in which he took the lead from the start, never to let go, ladies and gentlemen, please join me in applauding the winner of the Triwizard Tournament of 1995: Harry Potter!"

Loud applause and cheers broke out, and Harry stepped up the stage, waving to the crowd once before moving down the line to shake hands. First was the new Headmaster of Durmstrang, professor Arshavin, who gave Harry a firm shake and a grin as well as a mumbled, "Consider Durmstrang if Hogwarts ever proves too limited for you mister Potter."

Harry nodded politely before moving on to Madame Maxime, who merely gave a pained smile. Clearly, the French woman hadn't yet forgiven him for his words earlier in the year. That was okay, he'd meant every single one of them.

Third in line was Dumbledore, who gave Harry a proud smile as well an over-his-glasses twinkle. Shaking hands warmly, Harry didn't bother trying to hide his exhaustion to Dumbledore. The old warlock only gave a slight nod to acknowledge his awareness of Harry's exhaustion, but he obviously couldn't do anything about it right now.

Then came Bagman, who gave Harry a broad smile as he eagerly clampd Harry's hand between his two own, shaking energetically, "Simply amazing Mr. Potter, you were absolutely astonishing." The former beater said enthusiastically even as he kept pumping Harry's arm up and down. Bagman might've retired years ago, but he still had a lot of upper arm strength, as Harry discovered to his discomfort.

Finally wrenching his hand free from Bagman's grasp, Harry moved on to Fudge, who gave Harry a fake smile, before giving Harry a light handshake. The Minister had really sweaty hands, and his grip was clearly meant to be painfully tight. Fortunately, Fudge wasn't all that strong, and his squeeze didn't bother Harry all that much.

Fudge let go, and stepped back to the table on which both the prize money as well as the Triwizard Cup sat waiting for their rightful recipient.

Picking both up, one in each hand, the Minister turned back to Harry, handing over the sack of money first, which Harry put into his robes, before slowly presenting the Triwizard Cup, allowing the assembled press to take as many pictures as they could.

Taking the Cup by one of it's ears, Harry turned to the assembled crowd. Everybody fell silent as they waited for Harry to do something.

Harry waited a few more seconds, just facing the crowd without moving or speaking. This was his chance to make a statement heard by thousands. He could say something about Voldemort's return, he could tarnish the Potter reputation, he could publicly attack Fudge, there were so many options available to him!

Harry took a deep sigh. Then he raised the Cup in one hand, and the crowd broke out in loud applause and cheering.

~~~~~Scene Break~~~~~

"I believe we should discuss what happened in the graveyard Harry." Dumbledore spoke solemnly.

The two wizards were sitting in the Headmaster's office, where they'd both snuck off to as soon as they managed to sneak away from the celebrations still going on in the Great Hall. No small feat considering their roles in said celebrations.

"Really? I thought we were here to discuss the Cannons' chances against the Harpies!" Harry snarked from where he was barely managing to not fall out of his chair.

"I am aware that you are tired and upset Harry, but this can't wait. The sooner we can take care of everything, the sooner you can get to bed and get some well-deserved rest." Albus countered sharply, obviously in no mood to exchange idle pleasantries either.

"Fine. Let's get this over with then." Harry grumbled, struggling to sit upright in his chair.

Dumbledore sighed, "First and foremost, I want to stress that you performed admirably, I can think of only a few people who could hold off Voldemort long enough to escape, the youngest one of whom is over twice your age. That all of this took place immediately following the Third Task makes your achievement even more impressive."

Harry didn't respond, he merely waited for Dumbledore to cut to the chase.

"However, I do have one point of concern. The part where Voldemort used Legillimency on you... it has me concerned. Specifically, the part where he left some kind of mark in your mind. I would like to examine it in person if you'd let me." Albus spoke calmly, gazing at his slouching pupil.

"Very well, don't expect me to be any help though, I'm barely managing to stay awake, so actively exploring my mindscape really isn't an option, I don't want to accidentaly set something on fire and end up as a drooling dimwit." Harry muttered dryly whilst slowly taking out his wand and starting to make small multicoloured rings of smoke he stared at unthinkingly.

Dumbledore merely hummed, pulling his wand at Harry before softly intoning, "Legillimens!"

Albus appeared in the Ravenclaw Common Room, only where the small black mark Voldemort had left should have been, there was now an oozing stain, 10 feet across. This drew a frown from the old warlock, as he softly called, "Harry, I believe it would be good if you were here to see this."

Harry materialized in the same comfortable chair he'd sat in not that long ago, when it had been Lord Voldemort in his head, instead of Albus Dumbledore.

Glancing at the darkness, Harry frowned deeply. He stood up and moved to stand next to Dumbledore, "That's bad, right? As in, really, really, really bad?" Harry asked slowly even as he drew his wand.

"Yes, it is. That is a leach-rune. It will gradually suck out magic, feeding into Voldemort's own reserves. Not only will it help him regain his strength much faster than he normally would, it will also gradually decrease the amount of magic you have available at any one time, meaning you'll find yourself less capable of casting large amounts of spells as time wears on." Dumbledore explained.

"Very well, what can I do against it?" Harry asked with a frown, carefully analyzing the rune he'd never heard of before.

"This is beyond you still Harry. The only proper way is to break into the rune chains and make them implode from the inside out by adding a destructive cluster to the main sequence. I do not believe we have studied this subject just yet." Dumbledore calmly told Harry, before stepping closer to the leach-rune, his wand lifted in preparation.

"I must warn you Harry, the process will be most unpleasant. It will be painful, you will be left magically exhausted, and you will probably be left unconscious for quite some time. However, it is the only way to prevent any lasting damage, and at least Tom won't be able to take any of the energy unleashed to help him recover." Dumbledore lectured, the tip of his wand glowing a light pink as he started slowly waving it in an intricate pattern.

"I understand Headmaster. Do what you must." Harry managed to get out, even as he felt his eyes closing.

~~~~~Scene Break~~~~~

"My apologies for being late gentlemen, I had some affairs to take care of." Harry spoke as he entered the his friends' compartment on the Hogwarts Express.

"Harry! We weren't expecting you anymore, I was starting to think I'd have to spend the entire train ride with only Neville to keep me company! Can you imagine how dreadfully boring that would have been!" Draco jested, even as Neville was helping Harry put his trunk away.

"Oh yes dreadfully boring indeed. You shouldn't expect me to contribute overly much however, I am absolutely exhausted still. I've only been awake for a few hours, and in that time Madame Pomfrey has force-fed me forty-two potions, forced me to eat three full plates of food, and drink two gallons of water. Then I had to pack my stuff, talk to Flitwick for a bit, pose for some pictures with the foreign students before they left and lug my trunk all the way from Hogwarts to the station with only one arm. Apparently, I'm severely magically exhausted and thus I couldn't even levitate it!" Harry ranted, clearly not happy about the state of events. He'd been unconscious for quite a bit longer than Dumbledore had expected after all.

Everything would be fine in the long run, but Harry had been told quite clearly that he wasn't to use any magic whatsoever for the next two weeks at the very least. After discussing the situation, Harry and Dumbledore had agreed that Harry would spend these two weeks with the Dursleys, after which Harry'd be moved to a location where he could start researching ways to regain his left arm.

"Poor man, you have it so hard, after all, you're obviously going to have to fight your father for lordship of your family in the next couple of days." Draco spoke ironically, his nerves clearly showing through in his voice.

Harry frowned, "The next couple of days? Are you not postponing until I can attend?"

"No, every day my father spends as head of the family is a day too much. Especially now that the Dark Lord has returned. I need to get control of the vaults and the manor as soon as possible." Draco explained, even as he started furiously tapping his left foot.

Neville shot Harry a look before bending down to start rummaging in his trunk, "Don't worry Draco, you just need to withstand Lucius' initial assault, which you've trained extensively for, after that the poision should start working and he'll start making mistakes. Everything will be fine as long as you keep your cool. And remember to send us both letters once you've done it."

Giving a reassuring nod, Harry spoke, "Yes, you're one of the most capable duellists Hogwarts has to offer Draco. You're strong and intelligent and you've learned a lot these past few months. Don't get cocky, be ready for everything, and don't be scared to add some environmental factors to the battlefield such as conjured animals and fire. And don't drop your wand. That's important as well."

Draco slowly nodded, and the tapping stopped, though he stayed tense, ready to react to the slightest provocation. Fortunately, Neville had finally succeeded in his search for an unknown item in his trunk.

Sitting upright again, Neville presented Draco with a cup of tea, which had a special lid on top to prevent from spilling.

"Drink that, it's got a calming effect." Neville said, casually shoving his trunk under his seat again.

As Draco started to sip from his tea, Neville continued to speak, "So Harry, are we going to get the full story anytime soon? You've spent more time in the hospital wing than out of it since the end of the Third Task, and you lost one of your arms! So what happened?"

Harry let out a sigh, "The short of it is this: The Cup was a Portkey. Max and I ended up getting knocked out and tied up in a graveyard. Max' blood was used to return Voldemort to a body. I faked interest in joining Him. After torturing Max to sell the act, I managed to get both of us out of there, losing my arm in the process. Arriving at Hogwarts I helped shut down the Fiendfyre even as the battle of the Forest was being waged. The fire had been started by Karkaroff to cause a distraction. Then you were there for my conversation with the minister in the hospital wing and nothing special happened at the awards ceremony. I had to recover for so long because of the injuries I sustained during my duel with Voldemort."

Neville frowned, "I never thought he'd actually do it you know? Return to life? Gather the Death Eaters again? And now Fudge is saying Voldemort only has a few followers when in truth there's about to be a war! This is all so screwed up. What are your plans Harry?"

"I'm going to continue my recovery at my aunt and uncle's, then I'm going to find a way to regain my arm, and then we'll see what the situation is. Dumbledore has started moving to get us ready for anything Voldemort might do, but right now my role is just that of an observer. When that changes, or when I need you, I will let you know." Harry spoke softly, determinedly gazing at Neville and Draco.

Getting only nods from his companions, Harry leant back to take a nap when the compartment door opened.

"Great, just what we needed." Draco muttered, which gave Harry a solid clue about the identity of the new arrivals.

Opening his eyes, Harry focused on Rachel, who was stood in the door to the compartment.

"Where're your friends Owens? Did they finally realize that they're a waste of our time? Because if they did, you might learn something from them." Draco spoke in his haughty tone.

Rachel flushed angrily, "Shut up Malfoy, nobody cares about your opinion so just keep it to yourself."

Turning to Harry, Rachel's glare softened, "I was wondering if we could talk for a second."

"Nobody's stopping you," Harry said, casually leaning back against his seat.

"I meant in private." Rachel stated with a slight glare.

"Can you give us a minute guys?" Harry muttered, unwilling to get up and follow Rachel.

Neville gave a calm nod, giving Draco a firm poke in the ribs when the latter grinned lecherously, "Sure thing, we'll go and catch up with Cedric. I want to see if he can teach me to conjure a claymore. You know, like the one he used against the Acromantulas, he actually bisected one of them with his!"

Neville and Draco got up and left without another word, closing the compartment door behind them.

"Are you alright?" Rachel asked anxiously, sitting down across from Harry.

"This is the first time since the Third Task when I'm out of the hospital wing. I fought Voldemort. Oh, and I lost my arm! Do you really think that's an intelligent question?" Harry asked moodily, glaring at Rachel.

"I'm sorry my politeness offended you Your Highness! If this is how you're going to act then I don't know why I even bothered to come and talk to you." Rachel angrily spoke, a frustrated flush blazing on her cheeks.

"Well then don't ask stupid questions." Harry retorted sharply.

"If you're going to be childish, I'm leaving." Rachel threatened hotly, glaring at Harry furiously.

"Right, because I'd be heartbroken about that. How about you get to the reason for your visit?" Harry sarcastically retorted.

"I just wanted to check in on you, I wasn't allowed to visit you in the hospital wing." Rachel mumbled, sudden shyness replacing the earlier fury.

Harry didn't have a retort for that, so he just remained silent.

"You promised you'd be careful and yet you lost an arm and Max won't even talk about what happened with Voldemort. All we know is from the statements of the Minister in the Prophet and from Dumbledore at breakfast this morning. And all they actually agreed on is that You-Know-Who is back! You didn't even have me on your visitors list for the hospital wing, where you've spent the past 4 days!" Rachel ranted, gradually growing louder and talking faster.

"Yes, well, I-" Harry tried to break in, but he didn't actually know what to say.

"It's not acceptable for you to just do that Potter! What if I'd needed help with my powers? You can't just cancel all contact like that because that's convenient for you! The very least you could have done was sending me a message to say you needed your rest and I'd be on my own for a few days. That's not too much to ask now is it?" Rachel angrily continued, standing up mid-rant only to sit down heavily again once she'd finished.

Harry let out a deep sigh, he'd had other priorities, but he didn't think that was what he needed to say right now.

"I'm... sorry?" Harry half-asked tentatively.

Rachel's angry flush flared up again, "You don't even know what you're apologising for do you? I don't know why I even bothered! You know what? Just forget it, you jerk!" And she stormed out, slamming the compartment door behind her, leaving a baffled Harry to stare after her.

"What just happened?" Harry asked the empty compartment, letting his head fall back in confusion.

~~~~~Scene Break~~~~~

"So, you did remember to owl your aunt and uncle to tell them you lost an arm, right?" Neville asked tentatively as the Hogwarts Express pulled into King's Cross.

Harry gave an easy grin, "Of course I did Neville, I don't want either of them to have a heart attack when they see me."

"Then I'd suggest putting a bag over your head," Draco snarked at his friend.

"Very funny Draco, you only needed three years to come up with that one." Harry said dryly, as the Express came to a standstill and they moved to get off and onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

"So I'll owl you in a few days Harry, and if you need anything you're always welcome at Longbottom Manor. And I'll make sure to let you know the outcome of Draco's duel." Neville spoke to his friend, extending his calloused hand for a firm handshake, which Harry gave.

"Yes, enjoy your vacation and say hello to your grandmother for me, Draco, I expect you to behave at Longbottom Manor and good luck against Lucius." Harry spoke, looking from one to the other, before picking up his trunk and moving for the barrier to the Muggle world.

He spotted the extended Potter clan looking for Max, but Harry managed to evade their attention. He moved through the barrier only to almost run right into someone who'd been about to make the move in the reverse direction.

"Oh, hello, Harry, right?" The man in front of Harry asked.

Identifying the man in front of him as Greg Owens, Rachel's father, Harry had to suppress a groan. How horrible could a meeting be timed?

"Hello sir, nice to see you again, how have you been?" Harry asked politely, moving slightly out of the way so he wouldn't block the barrier to Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

"Quite well, thank you," Greg smiled, before his eyes fell on Harry's empty sleeve, "Oh my, what happened to you?"

Harry grimaced, "It's a long story sir, the short of it would be I was involved in an attempted murder, as well as in the resurrection of a so called Dark Lord. Ask your daughter for a few Daily Prophets to get a better view of the current political climate."

Greg nodded seriously, and was about to speak when Rachel and her mother, Julie, came out of the barrier behind Harry.

"Dad!" Rachel beamed, before barreling into her father, not even noticing Harry who stood just off to the side.

Julie didn't have the inattentiveness that came along with seeing your dad for the first time in months, which was how she did notice Harry.

"Hello Harry, how nice to see you again! How have you been dear?" The woman asked, even as she gave the unprepared Harry a quick hug.

"I could've been better, but I'm still alive, so at least I've got that going for me, which is nice," Harry spoke with an easy smile.

Julie blinked, not really knowing how to respond to that. Before she could continue her questioning though, Rachel spoke up, "Harry? What are you doing here?"

Harry turned around to face the girl who'd stormed out on him a few hours ago, "I happened to run into your dad, quite literally I might add, which led to us catching up. I strongly suggest getting your parents a subscription on the Daily Prophet, it's a good way for parents of Muggleborn students to stay posted on what's happening in the Wizarding world. But my Aunt and Uncle are waiting for me, I really should be off. Have a pleasant summer and I'll see you next year." Harry explained, nodding politely to Julie and Greg, before walking off to go look for his ride home.

He could feel Rachel's gaze burning into him as he walked away, but he really didn't want to talk about the sort-of-argument they'd had on the train.

There were other things to think about, and a whole school year to reflect on. He didn't need any drama right now when there were so many important things to think on.

He'd become Hogwarts Champion, won all three tasks and earned a lot of money by doing so. Rachel'd been tutored to the point where she was well in control of her element. Alliances had been made with Cedric Diggory and the Weasley Twins. Wizarding Britain had met Harry Potter as the prodigy of his age, the Hero of Hogwarts. He'd had to pay with an arm, a minor mental breakdown partway through the year, large periods of exhaustion and the resurrection of a Dark Lord. All in all, things could've been better, but things could've been worse as well.

He'd just have to see what next year and the summer would bring.

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><p><strong>Done. After an incredibly long wait, this chapter is done. Tell me your opinions, and I hope you enjoyed.<strong>

**I've been seriously considering stripping this story down and doing a significant rewrite, to the point where it'd almost be an entirely different story. Another option is ending this book and starting a new book for year 5. Finally, I might just continue this story in the format I've been using so far.**

**Thank you for all the support. I couldn't have come up with a new chapter without you guys.  
>Please leave a review and I hope you enjoyed,<strong>

**Signing off, Peeves' best friend**


	40. This is MY house!

**Hi guys! I'm back! Significantly faster than last time too! Let's celebrate! Anyways, I would like to thank you all for your reviews, favorites and alerts. It, along with another factor, more on that in a sec, is what keeps me motivated to write on this, even when I get stuck or run out of inspiration. Now, that other factor. I've found myself a new, and quite frankly awesome, Beta. I'm talking about MsCalypso, who has been magnificent as far as getting me to write and discussing story elements with go. In exchange, I've been helping out with her fic, Fleur De La Mer, which you should all definitely check out. It has a very different style and target audience than HPatEC, but as far as the writing itself goes, it is without a doubt infinitely better than my own works. So yeah, go check that out, if it's not your thing, that's fine, and if it is, you're welcome.**

**Finally, I'd like to thank you all once again, now go read the chapter, and enjoy!**

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><p>"You can't dodge him! He's too bloody fast! I told you this last round and now I'm telling you again. Dud, your only real chance is to go Mike Tyson on this guy and just go out there and start clobbering. You're stronger and more durable, just punch him into the ground before he wears you out!" Harry Potter spoke swiftly as he dabbed at the small cut in his cousins left eyebrow with a wet cotton pad.<p>

Dudley spat out his mouth guard before replying, "I told you already, Coach Anderson said I can't keep relying on that. I need to be better at dodging if I want to get into the Juniors."

Harry tossed aside the cotton pad he'd been using before using his one hand to grip Dudley's shoulder, "Dudley, in all the years you know me, in all the boxing matches we've watched together, have I ever been wrong when predicting the outcome?"

Dudley snorted, causing a pained grimace to appear on his face, "Well, you were wrong about 'Thunder Meets Lightning'."

A scowl appeared on Harry's face, "Damn you Duva," the one-armed fourteen year old muttered in frustration, "Still, that's only one match. It's your fight Dud, so it's your call. I just want you to win."

The next round was about to begin, and Harry put in Dudley's mouthpiece before the bigger boy could respond, "Go get him!" Harry shouted, and the fight was on again.

~~~~~Scene Break~~~~~

"Can you get me some ice to put on my eye? This bag isn't cold anymore." A beaten and bruised Dudley Dursley asked his cousin, as he slowly clambered into the car, extremely sore from the fight he'd almost lost two hours ago.

"I told you already Dudley," Harry said as he smoothly slid in the car beside his cousin, "I can't use any magic whatsoever until I get the all clear from Hogwarts. It needs to recover from the strain I put it under."

Dudley snorted derisively, "That sounds like the advice they'd give a twelve year old who's just discovered wanking!"

Aunt Petunia let out a shrill "Dudley!", but Uncle Vernon loudly spoke up before his son could reply.

"How could you possibly strain your magic? Do they have a measurement system for how much magic you have? Poppycock I tell you!" Vernon spoke before starting the car in order to drive his family home.

"I would compare it with a sink, Uncle. The tap is open and water keeps flowing into the sink constantly. However, put too much water in, and the sink overflows, and the water that flows over the edge is lost. The same thing happens to magic, a wizard only has a limited reservoir available in which he can pool his magic. Once that reservoir is full, any additional magic the wizard produces is lost. When you do use magic that has the same effect as when you pull out the stop out of the sink, and water flows out, which allows you to do magic. When you finish, the stop goes back in, and the sink slowly starts to fill up again." Harry explained thoughtfully, trying to put a complex magical theory in the simplest terms he could manage.

"The speed at which water comes out of the tap is directly related to the amount of water still in the sink. The more there is, the faster the water flows in. If the sink is ever emptied to the last drop, and you try to do anything more, the sink can break. It might just be a small tear, leaking only a drop of water each day. But the sink can also shatter into pieces, costing you your magic for the rest of your life. This is why I need to rest my magic, so it can be restored to a non-threatening level and thus neutralizing the risk of it being permanently damaged." Harry continued, gazing out the window pensively even as Uncle Vernon drove on.

"So even your kind has to follow some rules then?" Uncle Vernon asked interestedly, looking at Harry via the rearview mirror.

"Of course, even magic has limitations. Well, that is to say, our ability to use magic consciously has limits. There are plenty of things in the magical world we have no explanations for. But we, wizards and witches, are bound by basic magical theory just as all humans are bound by the laws of physics." Harry patiently clarified, slightly curious at his Uncle's interest.

"So, is there any way for me to make it impossible for one of your kind to do magic?" Vernon asked in a neutral tone.

Harry lifted an eyebrow in surprise, "Well, I guess there is, but why do you want to know this, Uncle?"

"Well, this Lord Volderwart is back now, isn't he? We should be able to defend ourselves if we run into him and his folk!" Vernon harrumphed loudly, as he was forced to brake when another car cut him off.

"If you ever do get attacked Uncle, your best bet would be to get out of there and try to contact me as soon as you possibly can. If fleeing is not an option, I'd suggest hiding and trying to break or take the wands of the enemy wizards when an opportunity arises. Attacking from behind and knocking them out would also prove rather effective." Harry patiently explained, realizing that his Uncle had a fair point.

He'd have to see about getting his family a means by which to contact him in case of emergency.

Of course, he'd be around for the rest of the summer to keep an eye on things, but after that, he'd be going back to Hogwarts and an owl wasn't exactly the fastest means of communication.

"Oh and Uncle, it's Voldemort, not Volderwart. Calling the most powerful Dark Lord in the world Volderwart isn't exactly a healthy habit to have." Harry added nonchalantly, grinning in amusement at the mere thought of Voldemort finding out he was being called Volderwart by a bunch of filthy Muggles.

"Voldemort, Volderwart, what does it matter what I call the lunatic? That can't possibly be his real name anyways!" Uncle Vernon spoke loudly in the front, and Harry realized this would be one argument he wasn't going to win. So he just chuckled before looking out the window once again, thinking on methods for his family to contact him in case of emergencies.

~~~~~Scene Break~~~~~

_Dear Harry_

_I will be coming on the 17__th__ to pick you up at Privet Drive. I have found a place where you can dedicate as much time as you wish to study and research the potential healing of your arm._

You will not be returning to Privet Drive for the remainder of summer, please keep this in mind so that you might say your goodbyes in appropriate fashion.

_As for where exactly you will be spending the remainder of summer, that is not the kind of information I can casually put into a letter. I can tell you that there will be a rather fascinating library, and plenty of company of both the 'you can learn from them' and 'your age group' kind._

_Until the 17__th__ I must say to you,_

_Later hosen,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_P.S. Do you see what I did there? I picked up that rather amusing pun when I was visiting an old friend of mine on the continent a few days ago, although I might not say friend so much as- Oh pardon me Harry, I do get carried away sometimes. Perhaps another time. Enjoy your time at Privet Drive._

"Why in the name of Merlin's pink boxers can't I return to Privet Drive for the remainder of summer?" Harry asked his empty room once he'd finished reading the letter that had been waiting for him on his desk.

"I like spending time here! Why can't I just spend my days in this supposedly amazing library, and my nights right here, hanging out with Dudley and watching TV with Uncle? This just doesn't make sense!" Harry continued, unaware he was still speaking out loud.

"_Fawkes' Greybeard will surely have a good reason Harry. You shouldn't doubt him when he hasn't had the chance to truly explain his actions yet."_ Hedwig thought loudly, getting Harry to turn around and face her.

"And yet he is apparently incapable of putting that in a letter? I'll give Albus the benefit of the doubt of course, but if it turns out that there's no valid reason for me to stay away from this place… He can be damn sure that I'll be coming here to spend my evenings!" Harry loudly stated, not at all pleased at the idea of having to leave Privet Drive after a measly two weeks of vacation.

"_You should not be so hasty with your words Harry, arrogance suits you ill." _

Harry didn't dignify that with a response, instead looking up in surprise as a motion outside of his window drew his attention. An owl was rapidly approaching Harry's window. And if he wasn't terribly mistaken, the collar it was wearing bore the colors of house Longbottom.

Dread clutched at Harry's heart. Neville wasn't supposed to send a letter for another couple of days at least. Draco on the other hand…

~~~~~Scene Break~~~~~

_Oh god I can't do this. I can't do this. I really can't do this. I'm going to die horribly. He's going to rip out my eyes and peel off my skin. He's going to drown me in a pool of acid. I'll be speared by a trident. I'll be burned alive and get eaten by pigs. I can't do this. I'm going to die. I don't want to die. I have to run while I still can. Maybe I can flee to Cuba, we don't have an extradition treaty with them!_

Draco's thoughts were going a mile a minute, but he couldn't allow that to show on his face. So while he was panicking on the inside, he looked his usual collected self as he turned to Neville and spoke calmly, "I am ready. I'm going to challenge Lucius and take my rightful position as the Head of House Malfoy. Wish me luck Neville, for when you next see me, I'll be a Lord."

Before Neville could even finish saying, "Good luck, Draco." The blonde was already stepping into Longbottom Manor's fireplace, Floo powder firmly in hand.

"Malfoy Manor!" Draco barked, disappearing in a swirl of green flames.

He calmly stepped out into the familiar foyer, where he'd spent hours reading and listening as his father taught him about the Wizarding World. Lessons he'd since sworn off, Hogwarts and his friends having taught him the truth of the prejudices he'd been indoctrinated with in this very room.

It felt odd, both nostalgic and disgusting, to be back here now. For a second, Draco considered tucking his tail between his legs and fleeing. How simple it would be to go back and claim that Lucius had beaten him, barely allowing him to leave with his life.

But that was not what he was here for. He might not be a Gryffindor, but Draco had courage of his own. Today, everyone who'd mocked him, who'd spat at him, who'd wished him harm, would be proven wrong. He was going to confront his father, and he was going to claim the Headship of House Malfoy.

Not knowing his father's routine like he once did, Draco loudly called out for a house elf, "Glynda!"

With a soft pop, Glynda appeared next to Draco, "Master Draco, you should not be here! Master Lord Malfoy has cast you out! You should leave before he sees you! He is not in a good mood!" She spoke hurriedly, anxiously wringing her hands together.

Draco was not in the mood for formalities, he simply asked, "Where is he, Glynda?"

The tiny elf frowned, "Master Lord Malfoy is in the garden, feeding his peacocks. You should leave Master Draco, before it is too late."

Draco frowned deeply, "Unfortunately Glynda, that advice is years too late already. Return to your duties, my father and I have business to take care of."

Knowing where to go, Draco headed for the gardens. How fortunate that his father was feeding his peacocks. An extra dose of that poison Neville had arranged for wouldn't hurt. If Draco could just last long enough against his father, he should stand a chance.

Grandly throwing open the doors to the garden, Draco immediately spotted the figure of his father. Lucius Malfoy was kneeling with his back turned to Draco, petting one of his white peacocks. To Draco's surprise, Lucius was wearing his Death Eater garb.

Remaining unnoticed, Draco observed his father more closely. After a few seconds, he saw a small spasm wrack his father's figure. No. No way. He wasn't that lucky. A few seconds passed, and Lucius jerked again. Yes. He really was that lucky.

His father had just returned from Voldemort's side, and apparently he'd been on the receiving end of a Cruciatus curse, leaving him pained, sore and weakened. Draco couldn't have timed his visit any better.

"On your knees again father? I thought that position was meant for Mudbloods and blood traitors?" Draco asked arrogantly, as he gazed at his father, who tensed at his son's voice. If he could get his father angry before the actual duel started, it would only help his odds.

"Draco." Lucius acknowledged as he slowly stood up, turning around to face his son.

"What is it father, no mocking words? No bigoted bits of wisdom to impart? Have you no words for your beloved son?" Draco taunted, placing special emphasis on the 'beloved'.

"Why have you come here boy? Would you really have me kill my own seed?" Lucius asked coolly, one hand slipping casually into his robes, undoubtedly grabbing his wand.

"I have come here to relieve our House from your corrupting leadership!" Draco spoke loudly, his heart jumping into his throat, "I challenge you to a House duel for the Headship of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Malfoy! May our magic decide who is worthiest!"

The old phrasing having rolled off of his tongue remarkably well, Draco tensed up. It was about to begin. His father had no other way but to answer the challenge, and once he did, the duel would begin.

"Very well, I had hoped you might one day see the error of your ways, but it seems that there truly is no saving you. It truly is a shame that I will have to spill pure blood, but your consorting with Mudbloods and blood traitors has undoubtedly defiled it, anyways, I accept." Lucius spoke frostily, his eyes piercing Draco with their intensity.

It felt as if a cobra was staring him down, Draco would later reflect, when he met his father's gaze one last time. And with a smooth pull, Lucius fired off a Killing Curse.

For a split second, Draco froze, his father was actively aiming to kill him! He'd known that it would come to this, but knowing and actually witnessing were nevertheless entirely different things. The man who'd sat him on his knee, who'd bought him all his heart desired. The man who'd formed him from a babe into a worthy scion, who'd trained him to be the best he could be. That man was trying to kill him. Despite everything, Draco felt a small pang in his heart, as the last remnant of hope he'd held that there might be a reconciliation someday, was shattered into a million pieces.

Ducking to the side, Draco shot back a Stunner. Lucius didn't even bother to move, catching Draco's attack with a lazy Protego.

"Truly Draco, for all your bluster, I was expecting a little more than schoolyard spells. Observe." Lucius spoke almost, sounding almost insulted, before moving again.

A Crucio, a Killing Curse, a Bombarda Maxima, a Confringo and a Confundus were sent at Draco in rapid succession, who scrambled to the right to dodge the Unforgiveables, before being forced to pull up a large chunk of the ground in front of him, leaving behind a crater. Chunks of earth were sent flying away as the spells impacted.

Already panting, Draco returned fire with a strong Banisher, Corpae Exumae, and a sneaky Colloshoo, meant to glue his father's shoes to the ground, but both attacks were casually batted aside with a slanted shield.

Lucius started circling his wand above his head, and Draco watched on in horror as a raven was conjured with every rotation.

Firing off his strongest Incendio, sending a large fireball flying out of his wand, Draco remained on the offensive, casting an Everte Statum to throw his father backwards which he followed up with another Stunner. As his father's ravens were fried by Draco's Incendio, Lucius sidestepped the other spells.

Another volley of spells came flying at Draco, these decidedly darker than the previous ones. The only ones Draco recognized were an Organ-Liquefying curse and a Bone-Breaker. Borrowing a page from Harry's book, Draco hurriedly cast a Deprimo at the ground beneath him, creating a foxhole just deep enough for his father's spells to fly over his head.

He retaliated with spells meant to annoy his father, who was showing disturbingly few signs of the poison that should be affecting him. That was not good. He needed Lucius to be weakened, he couldn't fight him on fair terms, he'd die!

Draco's volley of spells was childish, but it was numerous and Lucius couldn't risk letting any of them through. Steleus, Tarantallegra, Rictusempra, Silencio, Petrificus Totalus, Locomotor Wibbly, any spell that popped into Draco's head was sent flying at his father, who was forced to pull up multiple shields, each one shattering under the simple onslaught of spells that came flying at him.

Finally, his father cast his strongest shield, which held out under Draco's unrelenting attack with little effort, "Is this all you can do Draco? The spells of an untalented child? I am done playing around with you boy, now, you die!" Lucius called out dismayed and angrily at his son.

With a loudly shouted "Tempesta Ignis," a firestorm came raging out of Lucius' wand, destroying Draco's petty spells without any effort. Draco dropped to his knees, huddling in his foxhole, as the fire raged over him burning everything around him to crisp. There went the carefully planted garden. As he could feel the flames sear his back, Draco pointed his wand towards where he expected his father's peacocks to be, "Oppugno!" He bellowed, barely heard over the roaring flames which wouldn't let up, and which were burning his back severely.

Casting his strongest Aguamenti straight upwards, more to save his back than from any hopes of actually overcoming his father's spell.

Pouring as much of his power into his Aguamenti as he could, Draco could feel the sweat dripping down his face. He couldn't keep this up for much longer. Already, this fight had taken so much out of him. He was running out of time.

Suddenly, the flames disappeared, his father apparently having stopped his spell. Popping his head up out of cover, Draco happily noted that Lucius' peacocks were attacking their master unrelentingly, pecking furiously at any part of their lord's body they could reach. His Oppugno had worked!

Transfiguring a clump of earth that lay nearby into a dog, without actually changing the material, leaving the dog to be made of earth, rather than actual flesh and bones, Draco sent it charging in as well. He needed to use this momentum to settle the fight once and for all. Piercing Spells were Draco's chosen method. They had the best chance of leaving his army of animals unharmed, so that they too could keep fighting.

Lucius let out an angry roar as his peacocks kept pecking him, before pointing his wand straight upwards and firing off a spell. A sphere of acid flew upwards, at least five feet wide. Lucius cast an Impervius Spell on himself the moment the sphere hit its highest point.

Even as Draco's transfigured dog went charging in, two Piercing Spells flying overhead, Lucius Malfoy's beloved peacocks died horrible deaths as they were hit by their master's conjured acid.

Even as Lucius looked up, one of the Piercing Spells managed to hit him in the left shoulder, forcing him to switch wand hands just as he managed to deflect the second one.

Lucius retaliated with a Killing Curse, but to Draco's surprise, it went flying wide, missing him by at least three feet. So the Rumpling-Sap was finally kicking in! Finally! It was about damn time for his ace in the hole to save him!

With a grin, Draco fired off a Depulso, which caught his father in the chest, throwing him into the air and onto the ground, just in time for Draco's dog to leap onto Lucius and start mauling him.

Still Lucius was not defeated, as evidenced by the loud explosion which ripped Draco's transfigured dog apart. A wave of pressure was sent flying at him, and he could do nothing but once again cower in his foxhole, which allowed him to escape relatively unscathed.

Peeking out again, Draco grinned maliciously as he saw his father wobbling on his feet, a pained spasm wracking his body, almost sending him to the ground. He could win this!

"Perhaps I should have told you this before father," Draco stated arrogantly as he stepped out of his foxhole, casually sending a banisher at his father, which knocked the senior Malfoy onto his ass, "Your peacocks have been poisoning you for months now. I've been planning this for a long time father, and you never noticed!"

Lucius fired a Crucio, but again it wasn't well-aimed, and Draco was able to neatly sidestep it, even as he stepped ever closer to his father.

"You cast me out of our family for being a blood traitor and for being weak, and yet I've played you and beaten you at your own game!" Draco gloated mercilessly, casually firing a Diffindo at Lucius, large bloody gashes appearing on his father's chest.

"And now, I'll kill you," Draco spoke, languidly strolling over to his father, casting an Expelliarmus and a Petrificus Totalus when it appeared that Lucius was going to attack again.

Pulling his father upright, Draco stared smugly at the man who'd raised him. Casually dispelling the Petrificus as he placed his wand under his father's chin, Draco grinned maliciously, "Any last words, father?"

Lucius panted as he stared at his son, blinking heavily, the poison obviously being extremely efficient if Draco was so difficult to see clearly, even from such a small distance.

"You-" Lucius managed to get out, despite his lack of breath, "will regret this."

Before Draco could react, Lucius broke free with a brisk move, hurriedly he grabbed onto his Dark Mark, spinning away from his son's grasping fingers.

Even as Draco hurriedly shouted, "Stupe-" Lucius disapparated.

"NO!" Draco shouted furiously, a terrible anger taking him over immediately.

Draco swore loudly. His father had fled! How could he have let this happen! He'd had him at his mercy! Disarmed, poisoned, and still suffering the aftereffects of Voldemort's Crucio!

Angrily, Draco turned towards the doors to the Manor. He'd take care of the ruin his garden had been left in later. He needed to contact Neville, and have word sent to the Goblins as soon as possible to have his position as the new Head of House affirmed.

Suddenly, Draco became aware of the burn wounds on his back, pain almost crippling his burned body. He sagged to his knees as adrenaline wore off and exhaustion and pain set in fully.

Maybe he'd have to do this a bit differently after all, he obviously wouldn't be able to move all that much for the next couple of hours, "Glynda!" Draco shouted, the house elf appearing next to him.

"Master Draco! You are hurt!" The elf anxiously said as soon as it appeared, gazing at her masters back in horror.

"Glynda, I need you to go to Longbottom Manor, get me Neville Longbottom. And go and fetch my mother, would you?" Draco ordered as he slowly stood up again, he'd try to reach the sitting room, so he could at least lay down comfortably.

Glynda frowned, "Mistress Narcissa isn't here Master Draco, Glynda doesn't know where she is. "

Draco's eyes widened in surprise, "Get me Neville then. And hurry!"

If Glynda couldn't get his mother, then where could she possibly be?

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><p><strong>And done. You like? I hope you like. I Don't really have much else to say this time around. Check out FDLM, (Fleur De La Mer, oh yeah, I'm shortening it, deal with it,) please review, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope to see you again for chapter 41, of which I have yet to write a single word.<strong>

**Signing off,**

**Peeves' Best Friend**


	41. This is THEIR house!

**Hello readers! I have surprisingly little to say. The story crawls on at its own pace, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. I am well. Germany won the World Cup (Called it!) and we made Quarter finals so that's all nice. Did a road trip in France with my beta and a mutual friend, that was very awesome. Exams were decent enough as well. I believe that's e****nough about me.**

**Thanks to my beta, MsCalypso. For once again performing admirably and keeping me on task. You have her to thank for me still writing in a vaguely-reminiscent-of-timely manner.**

**Thank YOU for following, favoriting and ESPECIALLY for reviewing. I think that's all so... Enjoy the chapter.**

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><p><em>Longbottom Manor, July 14<em>_th _

_Dear Harry,_

_Draco and Lucius had their duel. Draco won. Lucius fled but survived. Mrs. Malfoy's location currently unknown._

_Draco has assumed official Headship of House Malfoy. Family Ring has been recalled by Goblins, Draco is in possession. _

_Lucius managed to reach Gringotts before Draco could banish Lucius from the family. Lucius managed to: take a lot of gold out of the vaults, sell off Malfoy Manor's house elves and owls, and sell multiple investments at great loss._

_Lucius has been officially cast out of House Malfoy, he and any new progeny will not be acknowledged as Malfoys. _

_Draco took some injuries, a few serious burns as the most notable amongst them, but he has fully healed._

_With the urgent information out of the way, as per your request for our summer correspondence, I can finally get onto the pleasantries. I hope that's okay with you because we are still friends, right?_

_Draco and I are both fine, he is busily overlooking his estate and trying to save as much of the Malfoy fortune as he can, though I'm worried because he hasn't mentioned his mom even once, and he keeps changing the subject when I try to bring her up._

_There is no full Wizengamot meeting scheduled until the twenty-first, so Draco has some time before he, or an as of yet to-be-appointed proxy, needs to make his appearance in the political arena._

_He is currently residing at Malfoy Manor, due to his lack of staff however, he will be coming over for dinner for the foreseeable future. He hopes to visit you, incidentally also for dinner, on the sixteenth, please send word to Draco to discuss further details._

_Unlike Draco, I have had a lovely and worriless__summer so far, as I spend my time working in the greenhouses and practicing my dueling skills. Gran has arranged for an instructor who comes by for a few hours every other day. He's an old colleague of my parents, a retired Auror. Apparently I have the same style as my dad! Other than that though, Mr. Myles doesn't know anything interesting about either of my parents. He claims that he was never close to them, which is too bad, as I'd been hoping for a few stories at least. _

_I've also had a few discussions with Gran about the return of You-Know-Who. (I know your opinion on the matter of his name Harry, but I don't want to provoke fate.) Gran thinks that the Ministry is severely underestimating the danger __**he **__poses, and she's been in contact with Dumbledore to ask how she/we can contribute. _

_That should be everything I needed to mention.__.._

_Yes, I've checked, that is all I needed to say. More information will come your way as soon as it becomes available to me. With all of that out of the way, there is nothing left for me to say, as asking about your own summer will only get me sarcastic answers at best. (Draco claims that I should add the following: Yes, I DO know you that well. __That's rather rude, but he really did insist!)_

_RSVP ASAP*,_

_Neville Longbottom_

_*I attended a Muggle Studies class because Hannah claimed it would be interesting, and the Professor wouldn't mind, or so she claimed. Apparently, RSVP ASAP is a common Muggle saying meaning so much as Répondez s'il vous plaît, as soon as possible. The combination of French and English strikes me as odd, but RSVP ASAP does roll off of the tongue rather smoothly imo.**_

_**imo apparently stands for 'in my opinion'._

Harry let out a tired sigh as he glanced over Neville's letter again. It contained a lot of information, and Neville getting distracted at the end had thrown Harry off from what was truly important.

So Draco had not only survived, he had won. Excellent news. Of course, he had failed to kill Lucius, thus losing the chance to take out one of Voldemort's Inner Circle. Lucius would be hell-bent on revenge of course, so that was definitely a bad thing, as was Mrs. Malfoy's mysterious disappearance. It had to be said however, that, overall, Draco had booked a great success.

Neville training in dueling was excellent news as well, as his reliance on seeds, acids, pods and other Herbology-related objects, would cripple him during a serious battle. If he managed to become a half-decent duelist, he could become a true force on the battlefield because of the versatility his plants afford him. But he would need skill with a wand for that. Until that time, he remained a one trick pony.

It might be nice to have Draco over for dinner, especially if Harry had to go with Dumbledore to this secret location the next day. As an added bonus, Draco visiting would allow them to talk in detail about the current situation, and how to proceed from here on out.

Grabbing parchment, a quill, and a pot of ink, Harry hummed in thought before beginning to pen his reply.

~~~~~Scene Break~~~~~

Dinner had been surprisingly pleasant, Harry reflected, as he packed away the last of his possessions. Dumbledore would soon be arriving to pick him up, which was why he'd packed almost everything he owned. The only things left behind were furniture and a set of spare Muggle clothes, just in case.

Draco had been polite and grateful, praising Aunt Petunia ceaselessly for her cooking even though the food - unfortunately - hadn't been anything more than decent. Continuing in the thread of things being unfortunate, Draco had not brought good news, which did dampen the mood for the remainder of the evening.

First off, Narcissa Malfoy was still missing, which meant she was almost certainly in hostile hands. Whether or not she was still alive was a question they did not have an answer to. Draco held onto hope, believing that his mother would be able to get herself out of whatever situation she was in, but Harry was far less optimistic, and had done his best to prepare Draco for a worst case scenario.

Second on Draco's list of bad news, had been an insight into the financial state of the Malfoy financial empire. Lucius had sold a _lot_ of things, at _very_ low prices. Fortunately, the damage had been mostly limited to hard cash and less important shares in certain companies. The bigger shares hadn't found a buyer fast enough, which meant Draco had luckily been able to salvage those. Nevertheless, the Malfoy family's monthly income had been crippled, as had their pure net worth.

Of course, Lucius having plundered the Malfoy vaults also directly implied that Voldemort's war chest had been substantially expanded. Increased means meant increased power so that was also very much bad news.

Despite all of this, Harry was optimistic. Dumbledore would arrive in a few minutes, Harry would accompany him to wherever he planned to take him, explore, and then he'd talk Albus into letting him return here for the nights. Surely the Headmaster would see things Harry's way, he was after all Hogwarts' top student and Albus' personal pupil!

Having said his goodbyes to his family already, Harry carried his trunk downstairs. Hopefully Dumbledore's top secret location would hold a way for him to fix his arm. Damage sustained by Dark Arts couldn't be healed his arse. He'd find a way! Giving Hedwig a worthier form had supposedly been impossible too, and then he'd found a way nevertheless. The only downside had been her failed brood with Fawkes, which Harry didn't want to be reminded of. Some things were best left in the past.

The doorbell rang at the perfect time, as Harry had just finished lugging his trunk towards the front door. Taking the last few steps needed to reach the door, Harry pulled it open, coming face to face with Albus Dumbledore yet again.

"Hello Harry, I trust you are ready to leave?" The headmaster smiled gently, eyes twinkling as he looked his favored pupil over.

"My trunk is packed and I've said my goodbyes so I do believe I am," Harry said nonchalantly, wanting to get underway as soon as possible.

"Very well, and I assume you've held to Madame Pomfrey's regime? No magic whatsoever and plenty of rest?" Dumbledore asked earnestly as he flicked his wand towards Harry's trunk, seemingly as an afterthought. With a pop, it disappeared.

Obviously, Harry thought, his possessions had been sent on ahead, saving him the bother of having to lug them along manually.

"Of course, as long as the person telling me what to do knows better than me, I have no problem following said instructions. It just so happens that people knowing better than me are few and far between." Harry spoke casually, not paying attention to Dumbledore's disappointed frown.

"Now now Harry, don't you think that's a bit arrogant?" Dumbledore asked softly while staring at him with his piercing eyes.

"If the truth can be arrogant, then yes, it might be," Harry responded carelessly, "Now, about this secret location, are you absolutely certain that there is no way whatsoever for me to travel to and from it on a daily basis? My family actually enjoys my presence, and I theirs, so it would be rather nice if you could change your mind and allow me to spend my evenings here at least."

Dumbledore let out a tired sigh, "Alas, Harry, it is simply not safe, for any party involved. Even now Voldemort seeks for you in an attempt to avenge the humiliating defeat he suffered a few weeks ago. And there's also the simple fact that your presence will be useful at least, and potentially even essential at the location I cannot speak of in public." Dumbledore shot down his hopes of coming back home, "Now, if you would hold onto my arm please."

Frowning, Harry grabbed onto Dumbledore's arm. They spun, and after the horrible sensation that came with Apparating, reappeared in a dirty, broken down playground, facing a grimy row of houses. They had appeared somewhere in a Muggle city, and in a rundown neighborhood at that.

"What is it with wizards and dirty locations?" Harry wondered out loud, having hoped for a somewhat more proper destination.

Albus chuckled, "Alas, although I have solved quite a few mysteries during my life Harry, I must admit that the answer to your question remains unknown even to me."

Harry turned fully to his professor, to ask what their next step was, however, Dumbledore beat him to it. He leaned towards Harry's ear before softly speaking, "The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix are located at Grimmauld Place #12."

For a second, Harry could only stare uncomprehendingly. The moment he tried to ask a question, he managed to make the connection. _Fidelius._

Looking back towards the houses they had been facing upon arrival, Harry focused on the division between numbers 11 and 13, and indeed, they started to move away from each other, a new house appearing between them, slowly widening from the width of a single hair, all the way to normal proportions.

"Quickly now Harry, we must make haste." Dumbledore spoke, as he rapidly crossed the street, aiming for the steps leading up to number 12's door.

Harry hurriedly followed the older wizard, now curious about what he was about to see. _Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. That must mean that Albus plans to involve me fully in the war effort! Oh this is excellent! My time won't be wasted here after all!_

Not bothering to hide his reappearing smug grin, Harry watched on as Albus knocked on the door. He could hardly believe it, he was actually going to become a member of Dumbledore's secret anti-Voldemort order.

The voice that sounded from behind the door though, was like a bucket of cold water being thrown over Harry's head.

"Who's there?" An unpleasantly shrill voice asked, the slight tremble betraying no great amount of self-confidence. No, surely there was a mistake, Dumbledore couldn't possibly allow just anyone to join the Order?

"It is me Molly, Albus, no need to worry. Would you mind opening up for me and Harry?" Dumbledore calmly asked, his voice carrying a soothing undertone, clearly meant to put 'Molly' at ease.

The door swung inwards, allowing Harry to spot Molly. He couldn't be more displeased with what he saw. A short, fat woman, with shockingly red Weasley-hair.

_This isn't happening. Tell me that this isn't happening._

"We weren't expecting you for another half hour at least Albus! Oh come in, come in, dinner's not ready yet so if you want any you'll have to wait another forty-five minutes." The Weasley woman spoke hurriedly, before turning to Harry, who tried to back away only to find that the hallway was too narrow to allow for such maneuvering.

"And you must be Harry, a pleasure to meet you sweetie. Why you look just like your father! You're horribly thin though, what have those relatives of yours been feeding you?" She spoke, aggravating Harry endlessly.

_I'm not thin, you crone! How dare you question my family!_

"Yes well believe me when I tell you that that's not by choice," Harry responded acerbically. That should make it clear to this woman, who was probably the Weasley matriarch, that Harry wanted nothing to do with his father or anyone vaguely Potter.

"Oh you poor dear!" The woman crooned, "Don't worry, I'll get you an extra large portion for dinner, we'll have you up to a proper weight in no time!"

"Wh- That's not what I meant!" Harry spoke affronted, only to be ignored as the fat woman hustled him past the hallway and up the stairs.

"I'll go show him his room real quick Professor Dumbledore sir, the others are in the kitchen, you go right in!" The harpy continued, to Harry's mounting frustration.

"Thank you Molly, you are simply too kind." Dumbledore answered with a smile, before walking off towards the kitchen. Leaving Harry with a shocked expression on his face. He could not believe that the old man didn't correct this woman about his family! The fat crone thought his Aunt and Uncle were child abusers!

The harpy blushed furiously at Albus' compliment, before leading the way up the stairs, leaving Harry no other option than to follow. Up the stairs they went, and up again, and up again. And then once more.

"The fourth floor? You have to be kidding me, you can't possibly expect me to do all those stairs every time I want to go downstairs!" Harry complained, aggravated at what was clearly a grave injustice.

"I'm sorry dear, all the other rooms are taken already, unless you want to share a room with Ronald and Max? I'm sure we could move another bed in there." Molly offered with a smile, looking pensive as she considered that option.

Harry paled, share a room with Max and Ron? He'd pass.

"Oh you don't have to go through any trouble on my account, this floor will do fine. I'm assuming that one of these two doors leads to my room?" Harry hurriedly spoke, trying his best to sell the sincerity.

Mrs. Weasley smiled, "It's that one, on the right. Sirius sleeps in the other room. You go right in, we'll call you when it's time for dinner."

Harry gave a curt nod before entering the room, no longer paying attention to the harpy as she went down the stairs again.

The room itself was very… bare. There was a bed, a closet, and a desk with a chair. There was no decoration whatsoever, even the walls were a drab cream color.

Shrugging, Harry unpacked, putting his clothes in the closet and his books in a pile on the desk. The room was still far too empty, but he couldn't do anything about that just yet. Maybe if he found a way to use magic during the summer, he could transfigure a couple of things.

For now, all he had were his books, none of which he wanted to read, again, right now.

Realizing that he'd have absolutely nothing to do for the next half hour or so, Harry was just about to go and explore the house a little, when two pops signaling Apparition startled him.

"What the-" He swore as he whirled around, only to discover that the Weasley twins had Apparated into his room.

"Oh, you're here as well?" Harry asked casually, playing off his previous surprise.

"Marvelous to see you old chap, simply marvelous." One of the twins started enthusiastically, whilst both extended their hands, each clasping one of Harry's between both of their own as they shook energetically.

"Simply spiffing, I must say." The other one spoke equally exuberantly.

"Fred, George, delightful as always. I assume your entire family is staying here then?" Harry said slowly.

"Bill isn't," Fred frowned, "Charlie isn't," George groaned.

"But the little ones are both here," Fred continued more happily, "As are mum and dad, so that's every one we care about accounted for." George finished, leaving Harry puzzled.

_What about Percival?_ He wondered quietly, but he decided to keep that question to himself for now.

"Alright, who else is here?" Harry asked interestedly as he moved to lay on his bed, resting propped up against the headboard so he could keep the twins in sight.

"Well there's Max and Hermione for starters. Mr. and Mrs. Potter are here too. Then there's Sirius and Lupin, that's everybody who's staying here on a daily basis." Fred spoke, casually falling into Harry's desk chair.

"Then there's Tonks, Kingsley, Moody, Hestia, Dedalus, Dung, McGonagall and Snape. There's probably more but those are the only ones we've met so far." George finished, hopping up to sit on the desk, so that both twins were sat close together, which made it easy for Harry as it meant that he didn't have to twist his head to look at whichever one was speaking.

"Dung?" Harry stated quizzically, eyebrow quirked bemusedly.

"Seedy fellow,"

"And beloved business associate!" The twins spoke happily, not bothering to hide their pleased grins.

"Of course. Do you know anything else about what's going on here?" Harry questioned amusedly, it was just like the twins to find the seediest fellow they could find and use him for their business plans.

"Well, we actually developed these nifty little things." George spoke, as Fred started digging around in his pocket.

"Extendable Ears!" Fred shouted proudly as he pulled out an ear on a long string. It had a rather sickly pink colour.

"Get the earpiece into position, plug the string into your own ear, and listen as if you were standing there yourself."

"Perfect for eavesdropping on 'secret' meetings."

"That's… actually really impressive." Harry complimented, getting identical pleased grins from the twins, "Did you pick up anything interesting whilst you were 'testing' those?" And he gestured at the pink string in Fred's hands.

"They're guarding something and You-Know-Who's laying low, that's all we know."

"That was surprisingly unhelpful, I was expecting you both to have picked up a little bit more than that at least." Harry said, frowning slightly.

"Hey man, the Order runs a pretty tight ship, and with our mom around, we aren't exactly getting-"

"All that much wiggle room, if you know what we're sayin'." The twins explained, clearly having accepted the situation.

"Perfectly understandable," Harry answered calmly, "So what else have you been up to during the last couple of weeks?"

As the twins launched into a waxing dialogue about their research into new product lines they were planning to sell, Harry was more intent on what would happen after dinner. He'd get inducted into the Order and then they would catch him up on whatever this thing they were guarding was.

So lost in thought was Harry, that he was actually startled when the twins stood up, "Come on, dinner should be ready any second now, we might as well get moving. Time is money after all!" Fred spoke, following after George as they led Harry out of his room and down the enormous amount of stairs.

The threesome made their way down the many stairs, the twins not reacting as somebody let out a muffled curse from behind one of the other doors they passed. Based on their lack of interest in the sound, Harry felt confident in his assumption that it must have been Ronald.

Finally, they reached the ground floor again, and Harry cursed internally when he realized that he wouldn't have a break from climbing an awful amount of stairs every day, as he'd been expecting, now that Hogwarts was out for the summer.

The kitchen door opened about halfway, Molly Weasley's wide body barely squirming through before she closed the door behind her. She looked at her twin sons suspiciously, Harry remaining unnoticed behind them, "Why are you boys down here?"

"We were hungry," Fred announced loudly.

"Isn't dinner done yet?" George added curiously, both twins looking at their mother with surprisingly innocent expressions. If Harry hadn't known that the twins were truly downstairs for dinner, he would have gotten suspicious merely from the looks on their faces.

"Well yes, I was just about to call the others down, you might as well go in," The harpy admitted, barely getting out of the way fast enough as her sons rushed into the kitchen, probably hoping to discover some tidbit of information that hadn't been hidden away yet. "Behave!" Mrs. Weasley added sharply, and, apparently, too loudly.

With a shriek, a portrait exploded into noise. The curtains that had until that moment been hiding the ugly visage of an elderly witch, were blown aside as she unveiled herself: "MUDBLOODS! DEFILERS! BLOOD TRAITORS! HALF BREEDS! HOW DARE YOU ENTER THE ANCIENT AND NOBLE HOUSE OF BLACK! LEAVE! LEAVE NOW! KREACHER! KREACHER! EXPEL THIS FILTH FROM MY HOME AT ONCE!"

Instantly, the door of the kitchen flew open and a man came bursting out of it and into the hallway, swearing just as loudly as the portrait, "SHUT UP YOU HAG! I SWEAR TO MORRISSON THAT I'LL FIND A WAY TO REMOVE YOU FROM THAT BLOODY WALL!"

"YOU! TRAITOR! FILTH! LEAVE! LEAVE NOW!" The portrait shrieked, Harry frowning in displeasure. Why did nobody have the common sense to silence the damn thing?

The man, whom Harry now recognized as Sirius Black, was struggling with the curtains, "Somebody give me a hand here!" He shouted, leading Harry to look around for someone to come to the man's aid. However, Molly Weasley had gone up the stairs to call down Max and his friends, and no help was coming from the kitchen either.

Sighing, Harry stepped up to Black's side, grabbing onto the curtains before he started to try and pull them towards the middle of the portrait. The task proved more challenging than he had anticipated.

"Come on, on three," Black spoke between pants, not even glancing at Harry to check who was aiding him, "One, two, three!" Both pulled with all their might, managing to pull the curtains shut with their herculean effort.

"Thanks for the help," Black started, as the turned to look at his aide, pausing as he became aware of Harry's identity, "Harry." He finished awkwardly, trying to play off the hesitation by smiling.

"You're welcome Black." Harry spoke shortly, before moving for the kitchen, leaving Black and his awkward smile to stand next to the hag's portrait as he passed through the door opening.

The first thing Harry noticed, was Dumbledore's presence. The venerable old wizard was seated at the head of the long, rectangular table that commanded the room's attention. He was conversing softly with a still rather unhealthy looking Mad-Eye Moody, who was sat to Dumbledore's right.

On Albus' left hand side sat Professor McGonagall, in quiet conversation with the woman next to her. Harry didn't know her, but she had a very stately air about her.

Further down the table sat two men who were clearly Weasleys. An older man, who was just starting to bald, and one younger, with a dragon fang for an earring and his hair long and untamed. Father and an older brother most like. Arthur Weasley, and one of his two oldest sons, Bill or Charlie. Which was surprising, as the twins had said that neither was present.

There were a few others scattered around to fill in the empty chairs between Dumbledore and Arthur Weasley, who seemed to act almost as a divide between calm and serious on his left side, and loud and boisterous on his right. James and Lily Potter sat on Arthur's right hand side, with Remus Lupin opposite Lily, and an empty chair probably meant for Black opposite James'.

A younger woman with obnoxiously bright purple hair sat next to Harry's mother, and the twins had taken the seats next to Remus Lupin, from where they were throwing curious glances at their brother. Seven empty seats remained at the table. The one on Arthur Weasley's left was probably meant for Molly Weasley, and the one next to James was clearly spoken for as well.

Which left the five at the right end of the table, the kiddy corner as it were. Harry was annoyed by that, as he'd hoped to take part in serious discussion during dinner, but he'd have to make do. Although having to sit so close to the Potters was something Harry was less than pleased about, he took the seat opposite Fred, next to the purple-haired woman. At least this meant he could follow some of the conversations.

It left him sitting with his back to the door, but walking around the table just to sit next to Fred would seem childish, and Harry knew that a good impression would be key, if he wanted to be taken serious.

Fred immediately made introductions, "Tonks, meet Harry, Harry meet Tonks." He spoke, waving his hand from the purple-haired woman to Harry, and back.

"Wotcher Harry!" Tonks said enthusiastically turning around in her chair to extend her right hand for a shake, elbowing Lily in the ribs during her maneuvering. Though petty, that raised Harry's opinion of her significantly.

"Nice to meet you as well," Harry answered, shaking Tonks' hand. Suddenly, Tonks' hand grew both heavier and hairier in Harry's, which did admittedly startle him somewhat.

Looking at Tonks' face, he was met with a mischievous grin, and he could hear Fred and George chuckling next to him. Amused, Harry let his own hand freeze over with a tiny crust of ice. Judging by Tonks' startled spasm, she hadn't been expecting that. Hurriedly she let go of Harry's hand.

"I'm a Metamorphmagus, what's your trick?" She asked curiously, looking at Harry's now once more defrosted hand in fascination.

"I have some wandless abilities involving water and ice." Harry replied honestly, deciding that understating things a bit couldn't hurt.

"You can do wandless magic? That's wicked!" Tonks whisper-shouted, her loudness fortunately surpassed by a bark of laughter from Sirius, who'd just returned to the kitchen.

"Thank you," Harry smiled politely. Tonks was a bit exuberant for his tastes, but she was nice enough. At least she was trying.

Further conversation was postponed as Ron Weasley entered the kitchen, closely followed by his younger sister, Granger and Owens, and Max.

_Oh joy._ Harry thought sourly, turning back in his chair to face the table proper.

Clearly, Gryffindor's Best had been informed that Harry would be joining them, because none of them made fools of themselves by calling attention to him. Owens took the seat next to his, with the Weasley girl across from her. That could've been worse, out of the group of five, these two were probably the most tolerable.

Granger and Ron took the two remaining chairs, leaving Max without one. Lily used a softly-muttered Geminio to provide a chair for Max,who set it down at the head of the table, so that he had Ron and Hermione on his right and left hand sides respectively.

Now that everybody was present, Mrs. Weasley started putting food on the table. Two kinds of soup – tomato and onion –, sausages and chicken breasts, potatoes mashed or fried or as a salad, all kinds of vegetables; all of it onto the table, Harry's eyes growing wider with each dish that was added. He had not seen this much food together since Hogwarts.

Eagerly, he passed his soup bowl to Tonks to have it filled. Harry went with the onion soup, because he hadn't had it in ages, and if well made it could be astonishing. Of course, he didn't know how good a cook the harpy was. If Ron's ravenous eating at school was any sign, it would probably disappoint.

When Harry ate his first spoonful, he realized that he would have to revise his opinion. That woman the Weasleys called mother was no harpy. No, she was a goddess. How could she be anything else? The soup was divine, perfect of consistency and seasoning. One second Harry still had a full bowl, the next it was empty.

For the next few minutes, no conversation was made, as everybody was content to sate their hunger on Mrs. Weasley's cooking.

Slowly, conversation started up around the table. The twins were whispering suspiciously amongst themselves, Tonks managed to engage Lupin in a flirty conversation, which Harry thought odd as Tonks seemed rather young for someone of Lupin's age. On his other side, Max and Ron were talking about Quidditch, and the three girls were discussing their plans for the next day. The verb 'cleaning' did not sound promising.

Harry was quite content to be left to his own devices, eating quietly as he considered the Order. He'd been expecting something slightly more impressive, but clearly Tonks at least was a new recruit, which meant that the Order had been proactive in that regard at least.

Getting Granger and Owens, known associates of Max, away from their Muggle parents was also an intelligent decision. They might even make Harry's summer tolerable, as both were significantly less irritating that the two boys at the end of the table.

Looking at the twins in front of him, Harry wondered why they were not members of the order yet. They were seventeen years old after all, and Harry thought their talent and resourcefulness no secrets.

Glancing around the table, Harry's gaze came to rest upon the har- Mrs. Weasley. That might explain it. She didn't seem the type to let her sons join as dangerous an organization as the Order.

"How was your vacation?" Owens suddenly asked him from his right, surprising him somewhat as she'd been involved in a conversation with Granger and the youngest Weasley when last he'd checked.

"Pleasant enough, although the missing-an-arm part is getting rather frustrating." Harry answered, his casual glance at Granger and … - Minnie? Mary? Vicky? -informing him that those two had devolved into whispering.

"That's one way to put it I guess," Owens said hesitantly, "Can't you go to Saint Mungo's with it?"

"If I'd managed to hang onto the actual limb that would've been the best thing to do. As it stands, I failed to do that, and too much time has passed besides. Officially, my best chance is a prosthetic. Unofficially, this place is supposed to have a library which I am supposed to find interesting." Harry explained patiently.

Owens snorted disbelievingly, "There's no way they're going to let you use the library. It's too dangerous."

Harry frowned, "First of all, fighting a war whilst missing an arm is undoubtedly far more dangerous. And secondly, who, exactly, is going to deny me?"

"Mrs. Weasley won't allow it. And besides, it's Sirius's library so you'd have to get his approval as well. Hermione didn't get it, so why should you?" Owens asked almost challengingly.

Harry could feel his proverbial –and literal, if he cared to make the effort – hackles raising, "Unlike Granger, I have both experience in the relevant subjects and an actual need to use them. Secondly, Mrs. Weasley, whilst admittedly a magnificent cook, has no right to forbid me anything. Thirdly, Black will surely see my need if I explain the situation to him."

"You'll have to do a better job explaining things to him then, because you sure aren't convincing me." Owens had the audacity to state, still not folding under Harry's frustrated gaze.

Harry took a deep breath, cool air filling his lungs and calming him down significantly. He'd forgotten how much Owens could get on his nerves.

"How fortunate that I don't need to convince you, if that's the case. Don't worry your pretty little head over matters such as these Owens, they're complicated and delicate. And those are not things you are well versed in. So to speak." He shrugged.

She turned red, "You are such an arse! I can't believe you!"

Not looking to get into a row on his first night at the Order's headquarters, Harry didn't reply in kind. He simply turned his gaze away from Rachel, and back to the table at large. Everybody had, or was close to, finished, and seemed to be quite content to sit quietly and wait for someone to speak up.

After another minute, Dumbledore leaned forward in his chair, drawing everyone's attention without even needing to make a sound.

"Excellent as always Molly, we would truly be lost without you," The venerable old wizard started speaking, nodding at Mrs. Weasley, who turned flaming red at the Headmaster's praise.

"Now, before anybody leaves, I would like to formally introduce Mister Harry Potter." Everybody turned almost as one to look at Harry, those closer to Dumbledore having to lean forwards or backwards in their chairs, craning their necks to get a better look.

"Everybody at this table has already been informed of his exploits during the Triwizard Tournament, and in particular of the events immediately following the Third Task, so I see no need to delve back into those." Dumbledore spoke, most people turning in their seats to regard their leader once again, giving him their undivided attention. Or close to it at least, because Fred and George were whispering mutinously to each other, and the kiddy corner to Harry's right seemed rather agitated as well.

"Harry will spend the remainder of summer here, until Hogwarts opens her doors again. The reasons for this are twofold. Firstly, Harry, like Misses Granger and Owens, is a known associate of the Order and has Muggle family who might be endangered by their presence." Harry could see his father mumble something to Lupin and Black, who hid their laughter behind their hands. That had better not concern his Aunt and Uncle, because if it had, there would be spells flying before midnight. He wouldn't let that filth disrespect his true family. Underneath the table, his hand slowly reached for his wand.

"Secondly, Harry's current physical disability is a severe handicap to our side's strength, and we must look into every avenue available to us. It is with that in mind, that Harry will be spending a significant portion of his time here in the library on the second floor, to look into potential cures or treatments for his situation." Dumbledore spoke, barely finishing before a storm of protest erupted.

Black and Moody objected loudly, and he could hear Granger whisper furiously on his right as well, though her words were unintelligible to the louder tones of Moody and Black.

Black was loudest, and incidentally the one who was answered first, "You can't let the boy into the library without my permission, the wards won't allow it!" He shouted furiously, having jumped upright, his chair near falling over from the brusque movement.

Dumbledore remained very calm however, "Which is why I expect you to give Harry the permission he needs, Sirius. I promise you that his time there will be well spent."

"I won't allow it. The books in there hold knowledge not fit for normal men, let alone for a child!" Black shouted, his face reddening steadily as he got more worked up. When Dumbledore opened his mouth to offer him an answer, Black continued.

"Even assuming the boy can handle them," Continually being referred to as boy was getting on Harry's nerves, "Why should I trust him with such knowledge? Merlin knows what he might do with it!"

Still Dumbledore remained calm, although the trademark twinkle had left his eye, "And what do you mean by that, Sirius?"

Black exploded, "He's a Parseltongue! He nearly killed Max! He's been ridiculing us and telling lies for over a year!"

Harry had grown progressively more upset, but now he decided to speak up, "Lies? I have been telling lies? Me? That I am a Parseltongue I will not deny, but you will not call me a liar to my face and get away with it."

"You slandered us in the Prophet!" Black bellowed furiously. Harry fingered his wand beneath the table.

"But was any of it a lie?" Harry riposted, almost politely.

Before Black could come respond to that, Dumbledore intervened, "There have been some unfortunate misunderstandings, but the time for childish bickering has passed. Sirius, I personally guarantee that Harry has the necessary background to safely work with the material, as well as the character to use what he learns only for good."

That clearly didn't satisfy Black, but at least he sat down, although he kept trying to kill Harry by glaring. Black, like countless others before him, failed.

"Alastor, you too had something to say?" Dumbledore continued, looking at the grizzled veteran sat to his right.

"I lost a few pounds of flesh in my day, and I too went looking for miracle cures." Moody spoke darkly, his magical eye fixating on Harry.

"There are ways to regain what the boy lost, but they require sacrifice and are dark in nature." Moody continued, sitting more upright and openly turning to Harry.

"You go ahead and look for those rituals yourself boy. If you're willing to pay the price. But know this: I'll be keeping my eye on you."

A heavy silence hung over the room. Eventually, Dumbledore broke it, "Before we end this meeting, would anybody like to bring forth any other issues?"

Harry frowned. He hadn't been made a member of the Order yet.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope that was to your tastes, a very not nice point to put a cut in. But y'know, this chapter's pretty big for my standards, and I really wanted to upload instead of work for another one and a half months or so. Give me your opinions. Do so through review or message. Also, tips on good stories are always appreciated. That is all.<strong>


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